Migrants' row leads to closure of industries in Nasik

Nasik, Feb 17 : Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's hate campaign against north Indians has paralysed the city leading to the closure of many small and medium industries here.

"Since last 5-6 days around 8,000-10,000 people from Nasik have gone, as they are scared and are not ready to work. About 35-40 small and medium scale industries have been shut down," said Vijay Gupta, a factory owner.

Many factories have shut down due to the exodus of workers hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, he added.

However the Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh has refuted the reports that the exodus has adversely affected the industries.

"Fleeing of the people is a temporary set back but it will not affect entry of new industries to Maharashtra and Nasik. On Friday, we have signed two MoU's (Memorandum of Understanding) on industries. But this step of polluting the environment is not good," Deshmukh said.

The activists of MNS have held Mumbai to ransom targeting north Indian migrants since the last fortnight.

Rampaging activists of the MNS attacked fruits and vegetable vendors as well as taxi drivers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

After arson unleashed by activists of Thackeray's outfit, the Mumbai police arrested Thackeray for fomenting enmity.

Thackeray's MNS is a breakaway faction of the State's opposition party Shiv Sena, which earlier used to whip up regional sentiments, espousing the cause of the Marathi speaking people of the State.

ANI