Attacks on 'Marathi manoos' on rise after BJP's win in Maharashtra polls: Raut

Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed attacks on Marathi-speaking people have increased after the BJP won the Maharashtra assembly polls and alleged that an environment was being created to drive them out of Mumbai and neighbouring areas.

Talking to reporters, Raut highlighted an incident at Kalyan in Thane district, where non-Marathi-speaking people allegedly attacked a Marathi-speaking family.

He further dubbed the Maharashtra government as "inauspicious" over the death of 14 people in the collision between a navy craft and a passenger ferry. He alleged that dacoity and murders were taking place in villages and districts.

"A conspiracy is being hatched to attack Marathi manoos. Kalyan was the start," he said.

The Sena (UBT) leader claimed the BJP split the Shiv Sena, an "organisation of Marathi manoos", and weakened it so that the natives are treated like second-class citizens, and Mumbai and areas around it are given to non-Marathi-speaking builders and businessmen.

"Attacks on Marathi manoos have increased after the state assembly polls. Attempts are being made to drive Marathi manoos out of Mumbai, and an environment is being created so that Marathi manoos don't live in Thane and Kalyan," he said.

Hitting out at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Raut said those calling themselves the Shiv Sena, who are part of the government, are inept and not bothered about the Kalyan incident.

"They (Shinde-led Shiv Sena) are desperate for power. The BJP's stand is to destroy the Marathi manoos," he said.

In the state assembly on Thursday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleged that some organisations, which were declared as the frontal organisations of urban Naxals by the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra and the Manmohan Singh government at the Centre, participated in the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

To this, Raut said one should not pay much heed to what the chief minister says and questioned whether actor Amol Palekar, social activist Baba Adhav, and veterans who served in the forces who participated in the Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra were Naxals.

"He (Fadnavis) should focus on corrupt people around him," he said.

On the face-off between the opposition and NDA MPs on the Parliament premises over the alleged insult to Dr B R Ambedkar, Raut said former minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput, allegedly injured in the scuffle, excelled in acting and should get a prize in dramatics.

On FIR being registered against Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, in connection with the scuffle, the Sena (UBT) MP said, "It is their (BJP) government."