Strong political will needed to curb violence in Mah: SC

New Delhi, Nov 4 (UNI) The Supreme Court today observed that violence against North Indians in Maharashtra can be checked only through strong political will and not through court orders.

The observation came when a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking directions from the apex court to Union government as well as the governments of Maharashtra and Bihar to take appropriate steps to protect the lives and properties of the residents of these states, was mentioned for urgent hearing.

Counsel for the petitioner Sugareev Dubey mentioned the matter before a bench comprising Justices B N Agarwal and G S Singhvi and contended that the two states have failed to protect the lives of innocent citizens.

According to the petitioner Salekchand Jain, it is not only Maharashtra which has failed to check the violence unleashed by MNS activists led by Raj Thackeray against North Indians, especially against those belonging to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Even Nitish Kumar government in Bihar has failed to protect public property like trains and busess which were set ablaze by students from Bihar when a boy called Pawan Kumar died due to the alleged beating by MNS activists in Mumbai, where he had gone to appear in a service selection test conducted by Railway Ministry.

It may be noted here that MNS president Raj Thackeray has been continuing with his violent hate campaign against North Indians virtually telling them to leave Maharashtra.

The Supreme Court will hear the petition on November 10.

UNI SC SLD RP HS1606