Chhath row: Chirag Paswan, Prashant Kishor accuse Raj Thackeray of targeting Biharis
The criticism came after MNS chief accused the BJP-led government in Maharashtra of making desperate attempts to incite conflict in Mumbai
Patna, Nov 14 (PTI) Union minister Chirag Paswan and Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Saturday criticised Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's remarks on Chhath, the most popular festival of Bihar, accusing him of spewing venom against people of the Hindi heartland for political gains.
The criticism came after Thackeray accused the BJP-led government in Maharashtra of making desperate attempts to incite conflict in Mumbai, which has a sizeable North Indian population, by exploiting the Chhath Puja issue ahead of the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh.
His remarks came days after a controversy erupted over playing Bhojpuri songs at some Mumbai railway stations ahead of the festival. The move drew criticism and raised questions over the use of railway announcement systems for cultural events.
Paswan, a BJP ally, and Kishor, who is not aligned with any coalition, were approached separately here by journalists with queries on the MNS chief's objections to the playing of Chhath songs at railway stations in Mumbai, which, according to Thackeray, was an attempt by the ruling BJP to "incite conflict" and "cultural frenzy" in the western state.
Charging the Maharashtra leader with "persistently promoting regionalism" in politics, Paswan said that "people of Thackeray's own state have rejected his party for decades" due to such an approach.
"It is inappropriate to suggest that only Marathi traditions should be respected in Maharashtra, while North Indian traditions and songs should not be given due respect. Their (MNS's) approach is precisely why the people of their own state have rejected their party for decades," he said.
The Union minister claimed that promoting regionalism ran counter to the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray, the politician whose legacy his nephew Raj Thackeray's MNS claims to carry forward.
"Balasaheb never humiliated North Indians. His thinking was never about promoting regionalism. There is no instance of him hurting the identity and sentiments of North Indians in the name of upholding Marathi pride," he said.
Kishor, too, lashed out at the MNS chief with derision, saying he makes such statements occasionally to somehow remain in the media when nobody notices him.
"It is unnecessary to give importance to elements like Raj Thackeray. When nobody asks about him for months, he speaks against the people of UP and Bihar to get some media space," he said.
The Jan Suraaj founder accused Thackeray of being unaware of his political standing and consistently changing sides.
"Raj Thackeray doesn't even know where he stands. Sometimes, he praises Modi, other times he complains about him. He keeps shifting sides to remain relevant. In Maharashtra, there is a BJP-led NDA government. Who is Raj Thackeray there?" he remarked sarcastically.
Paswan said a large number of people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh work in Mumbai and other parts of the country in various capacities, keeping the wheels of the nation's economy moving.
He said the Constitution provides for such mobility to work and reside across the country.
"They (MNS) must reflect on what their decades-long campaign in the name of Marathi identity has actually achieved for them," he quipped. PTI