The rift in the saffron camp over the issue of north Indian migrants in Mumbai widened today, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) joining the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to take on its key ally Shiv Sena head on, asserting that the party did not believe in any regional identity that “discriminates” Indians.
Amid the escalating war of words among the saffron outfits, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram firmly rejected the Shiv Sena’s controversial ‘Mumbai for Maharashtrians’ stand as “pernicious thesis”, saying the country’s financial capital belonged to all Indians, who are free to live and work there. After opening a new front against the RSS on the emotive issue, the Shiv Sena targeted the Sangh parivar founthead again, with its top leader, Uddhav Thackeray, asking the Sangh not to interfere in its stand.
On the other hand, the BJP and RSS in a broadside against the Sena said there should be no discrimination against north Indians in Maharashtra and no party should create a divide for political gain. BJP President Nitin Gadkari broke his silence on the issue to reinforce the RSS view articulated by its boss, Mohan Bhagwat, triggering the rift with the Sena.
“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 believes that there may be different languages and costumes (in various states) but it is one country,” he said. “Presence of any language, regional or religious identity in a place is also a fact in India...This is also the strength of India,” Gadkari added.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi tore into the Shiv Sena and the MNS for their constant tirade against people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, reminding them that the NSG men who vanquished terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks were also from the two states and other places.