Lalu exhorts media to ignore Thackeray

Hajipur, Bihar, Feb 10 (UNI) Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today exhorted the media to refrain from giving undue publicity to Maharastra Navnirman Samiti Chairman Raj Thackeray as his remarks against the Hindi speaking people were ''potential threats'' to unity and integrity of the country.

While responding to queries from reporters after inaugurating an airconditioned dormitory at the railway station here, Mr Prasad said since Mr Thackeray had no mass appeal in Maharastra, he was making such remarks just to gain ''cheap popularity.'' '' The best way to tackle such elements was to ignore them and media should not give coverage to their controversial remarks as these trends were detrimental to the unity and integrity of the nation'', he observed.

Mr Prasad also appealed to the Hindi speaking people to maintain peace and harmony and asked them not to sway by Thackeray's remarks aimed at disturbing the amity between people from different regions.

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