Former Mah minister blames SP, MNS' frustration for violence

Lucknow, Feb 10 (UNI) Former Maharashtra and Congress MLA Kripashanker Singh today blamed the political frustration of Samajwadi Party and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for violence against North Indians in Mumbai.

Talking to reporters here, the former minister of state for Home in the Maharashtra governmernt said the two parties were frustrated over losing political grounds in that state. ''Only they are to be blamed for violence which effected the poor man,'' he said.

Mr Singh claimed that the two parties made inflamatory statements which led to the violence. He also slammed the state police for its inaction in dealing with the situation. ''On two occasions, policemen were seen standing as mute spectators to the violence...following the inflamatory remarks, Mr Raj Thackeray and SP's Abu Azmi should have been served notices under the CrPC,'' he added.

He also scoffed at suggestions that Congress had fuelled violence in a bid to weaken Bal Thackery's Shiv Sena ahead of the assembly elections in Maharashtra. ''It is a fight betwwen Raj and Uddhav Thackeray and the political frustration of MNS and SP. Congress has never indulged in such acts,'' he asserted.

The Congress MLA claimed that the idea behind attacks on North Indians was to force them to retaliate on Maharashtrians. ''But that never happned as people have realised that a few goons had indulged in violence for vested political interests.'' UNI NAB VD RAI1852