MNS should be banned: Kuldip Nayar

Bhopal, Oct 23: Expressing shock over the release of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray after being in police custody for a day, noted journalist and civil rights activist Kuldip Nayar said MNS should be banned for spreading communal flare-up in the country.

''Raj Thackeray is trying to create a situation of 'civil war' as he is cultivating bitterness in the hearts of Marathi people through his 'Marathi Manoos' drive'', he told the sources on the sidelines of a conference of ''Lok Rajniti Manch'' at Gandhi Bhavan in the state capital.

''Raj is still ignorant of how we achieved independence and how we have preserved it for the last 60 years'', Mr Nayar said.

Holding the Centre and Maharashtra governments responsible for the violence against north Indians in Maharashtra, he said despite such high-handedness of Raj Thackeray, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had opposed banning of MNS.

''Raj has no right to dismantle our unity and integrity by breaking the harmony and tranquility among people,'' said Mr Nayar, adding divisive forces which came up on the issues of caste, language, creed and region in states like Tamil Nadu and Punjab were crushed.

However, he also criticised the violence triggered in Bihar against the MNS activities in which several trains were torched and public property was vandalised. ''Things should be settled peacefully. Dictatorial tendencies should be discouraged'', he added.

About Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh pleading in favour of Delhi's Batala House accused, Mr Nayar said he was waiting for NHRC report and every irresponsible statement should be condemned.

UNI