Nirupam offers job to kin of Rahul Raj,says Mumbai belongs to all

Patna, Nov 15 (UNI) Senior Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam today offered a job to one kin of Rahul Raj, who was killed in alleged fake encounter in Mumbai a few weeks back.

After meeting the bereaved families of Rahul here, Mr Nirupam told media persons that the recent attacks on Biharis in Maharashtra had created an impression that the state was hostile to Hindi- speaking people which was far from reality.

'' I met the father of his Rahul Raj to offer my sympathies to his family and offered a job to a member of the family in Mumbai, '' Mr Nirupam said adding he had made the offer because the Rahul Raj episode had created an impression that Mumbai was not safe place for outsiders and boys going there in search of jobs were being attacked.

'' Mumbai belongs to everybody, '' he stressed.

The Congress leader said initially he had also suspected that Rahul Raj was murdered. '' However, presently three independent bodies are conducting a probe into the episode. I will comment only after the reports come out, '' he remarked stressing that he did not believe that the report of three agencies could be manipulated.

He said the outburst in Bihar and by Bihari leaders initially, was justified. '' However, later the politics on the issues, including the resignation politics went to the other extreme. It appeared that Bihar was against Maharashtra. We have to fight Raj Thackeray and the policies, '' he said stressing that Raj Thakaray and his handful of anti-scoical ements', will not be allowed to vitiate the atmosphere.

However, the Congress leader stongly defended the role of the Deshmukh government in handling the anti-North Indian movement, launched by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena(MNS)'s chief Raj Thackeray.

Initially the Maharashtra government was slow because Raj Thackeray had raised the issues concerning Marathas, he said.

'' However, when Raj took the issue to extremes, the government has cracked down on him. As many as 54 cases have been registered against him. After some days, Raj will be appearing in one court or another every alternative day, '' he said.

Mr Nirupam also justified the ban by the Maharashtra government on the film ''Deshdrohi''. '' There is nothing wrong in banning a film for two months if Mumbai police feels that it may further incite the tense atmosphere there, '' he remarked.

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