Thackeray: Bangladeshi infiltrators behind Mumbai violence

Mumbai, Aug 22: After what can be seen as a defiant show of strength by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and its chief

at Mumbai on Tuesday, he has blurted out his stand on the Mumbai violence on Aug 11. In no-holds barred opinion, Raj Thackeray said that Bangladeshi infiltrators were responsible for the Aug 11 violence and said that such incidents will not be tolerated. [UPDATE:

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Thackeray also slammed the Mumbai police and sought the resignation of Home Minister RR Patil and Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik for failing to stop the violence. The incident saw the death of two and many people getting injured including 45 policemen and media personnel.

In his spirited speech, he flashed a green passport purported to be found from the protest venue on Aug 11. The passport supposedly belongs to a Bangladeshi and that the violent protest had many outsiders who openly dared to attack police and media persons.

He added in his acid speech at the Azad maidan yesterday, "This will not be tolerated and limits cannot be crossed. Anybody who dares to raise their eyes against Maharashtra, we will not tolerate."

Raining further blows on the Mumbai police, Thackeray said that he was surprised how the police and the home department were ignorant of the expected violence when the protestors came out armed with iron rods, sticks and stones. On this, he demanded the resignation of the Home Minister and the Mumbai police chief and said, "If they have an ounce of shame, they should immediately quit."

He added, "There is no hidden agenda, as is being speculated in some circles. Our motives had been announced in advance that it was to express solidarity with the police, media and seek resignations of Patil and Patnaik."

Thackeray also reiterated in his rally that he was not pointing fingers at any religious group or entity and also took the opportunity to express solidarity with the ordinary Marathi policemen and the Mumbai media.

Snubbing Samajwadi Party state chief Abu Asim Azmi, he commented that Azmi could win elections from two assembly constituencies simultaneously as these had many Bangladeshis and Pakistanis living there.

OneIndia News