Sena, BJP differ on ‘Marathi Manoos’

In a stand that may widen the party's rift with Shiv Sena over the issue of North Indians living in Maharashtra, BJP President Nitin Gadkari on Monday said there was no conflict between regional and national identities and his party did not believe in discrimination on this basis.

Arguing that Indians from all parts of the country had a right to live anywhere within Indian borders, Mr. Gadkari said BJP was only opposed to special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.

Mr. Gadkari reinforced the RSS view on the Maharashtra issue. “We respect as a ground reality that at a regional level there is tradition, heritage and language identity. But there is no conflict between regional and national identity. And so, we do not believe in any linguistic, religious or regional identity that discriminates or differentiates,” the BJP president said.

He said BJP recognised the presence of different cultures and languages in India. “BJP believes that there may be different languages and costumes (in various states) but it is one country,” Mr. Gadkari said, adding, “Presence of any language, regional or religious identity in a place is also a fact in India...This is also the strength of India.”

Mr. Gadkari maintained that Shiv Sena was an alliance partner and since both were independent parties, they could have differences over various issues.

“What the RSS has said (that North Indians should be protected in Maharashtra) is absolutely correct. All over India, every countryman has rights and all political parties should respect this basic feeling among all Indians,” BJP vice-president Shanta Kumar said. He said political parties should keep in mind that “just for politics, we should not divide the country.”

The RSS on Sunday said it would protect North Indians living in Maharashtra, a contention that brought the chasm between BJP and Shiv Sena, its ally in the state, out in the open. Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray-led MNS have repeatedly targeted North Indians working in Maharashtra.

Another senior RSS leader Sheshadari Chari on Monday echoed the views of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on the issue. “Every Indian should be protected everywhere, not only on Indian soil but also outside it. If Indians are attacked in Australia, even there they require to be protected. So it is not a question of North Indians being protected in Maharashtra and South Indians being protected in Delhi,” he said.

Mr. Sheshadri stressed that RSS was opposed to this idea of “segregating the people on basis of community, caste, religion or language” as it amounts to dividing them.

Responding to Mr. Bhagwat’s remarks, Sena leader Manohar Joshi had on Sunday said, “The time has come to remind RSS that Mumbai belongs to Marathi people only.”

Uddhav takes on RSS

Meanwhile, targeting RSS over its spokesperson Ram Madhav’s statement about protecting north Indians against any discrimination in Mumbai, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asked the Sangh not to interfere on the issue of Maharashtra capital.

“Ram Madhav should not worry about Mumbai issue and should not teach us patriotism and unity,” Mr. Uddhav told reporters here on Monday.

“During 1992 Hindu-Muslim riots, Sena protected Hindus but where was RSS that time,” Mr. Uddhav said.

Mr. Ram Madhav should worry about south Indian States and teach Hindi in those States, Mr. Uddhav said.

Setting aside Shiv Sena’s claim that Mumbai was for Marathi manoos only, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said recently, “Mumbai is for all Indians. People of all languages, communities, tribes are children of India...Nobody can prevent Indians from moving to any part of the country in search of employment.”