Wake up and curb goondaism, Paswan tells Deshmukh

Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, Feb 9 (UNI) Lok Janshakti Party president and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today urged the Vilasrao Deshmukh government in Maharashtra not to ''soft pedal'' in taking action against 'goonda' elements in the state.

''It seems that the Congress government is 'liberal' towards such elements. What is happening in Maharashtra is not politics but goondaism,'' he told mediapersons at the Bhilai Steel Plant, where he inaugurated a Rs 11,262 crore expansion programme.

Pointing out that all political parties have strongly condemned the violence against North Indians in the metropolis, he said it was the responsibility of the state government to take stern action those inciting trouble.

''Its not just a problem of Mumbai. Its an issue that could pose threat to the nation's unity,'' he said, adding that the constituents of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had already raised this issue at the meeting of the Union Cabinet.

He pointed out that Shiv Sena Chief Balasaheb Thackeray had also disapproved the incidents triggered by the Maharashtra Navriman Sena (MNS).

When asked about the political perception that the Congress government in Maharashtra was not taking action against Raj Thackeray as the recent trouble had neutralised the alleged attempts to replace Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Union Minister evaded a direct reply saying, ''Our party is a constituent of the UPA. Do you think that I should comment on it ? ''.

UNI JJ SK HT2009