Raj Thackeray 'mastermind' behind Mumbai violence: CPI

Lucknow, Nov 1 (UNI) Calling Raj Thackeray the 'mastermind' behind the burgeoning violence in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, the Communist Party of India (CPI) said his party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) was being sheltered by the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.

''The attacks upon the North Indians in Mumbai and other parts of that state are happening as both the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party are attempting to solve their own purpose. Actually, these parties are trying to break the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena,'' CPI secretary and in charge of Chhattisgarh Atul Kumar Anjan said here today.

Coming down heavily upon the Maharashtra government for permitting Mr Thackeray to hold a press conference, the CPI leader said ''It was a clear cut example of the government's soft attitude towards him.'' Mr Thackeray was passing provocative remarks from past eight months, but the same can cause severe consequences, if not checked immediately, Mr Anjan said.

The Congress has seen the consequences in Punjab and would face the same one more time, if the MNS president was not stopped from becoming another 'Bhindrawalan', he added.

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