NHRC issues notice to Maharashtra Government on MNS activities
New Delhi October 22, 2008
The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance of a distressing press report highlighting the incidents of attack on north Indian aspirants for railway jobs by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and has issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and the Director General of Police, Maharashtra for their comments within two weeks. The report headlined as "Repeat offender Raj goes unscathed" in "The Times of India", New Delhi dated 21.10.08 mentions about depleting law and order situation in Maharashtra in the wake of the violence by the Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activist who very often go on the rampage.
The press report has highlighted the incidents of attack on north Indian aspirants for railway jobs by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena who recently disrupted Railway Recruitment Board Exams in Mumbai on 19.10.08 demanding that only Maharashtrians be recruited to fill vacancies in central and western railways. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena reportedly did not shy away from promoting a violent form of ethnic politics to build its base. It is also stated in the press report that the State Government responses to the violent activities of the MNS, have not generated confidence, on the contrary the State's inaction seems to have boosted MNS' proclivities.
It says MNS party chief Raj Thackeray's has allegedly been involved in abetting crime instigating his party workers to violence time and again. In February his year, the MNS workers went on rampage in Pune and Nashik over jobs for sons of the soil but Maharashtra Government has allegedly failed to tackle the situation. Later a section of MNS activists damaged a large number of educational institutions in the Pune region. About a month ago, the MNS supporters again entered in a row over Jaya Bachchan preferring to speak in Hindi at a music launch at Mumbai and the MNS supporters created trouble for an upcoming Amitabh Bachchan release. As a result organizers had to abandon the premiere. Again the Raj Thackeray created a row over the issue of Marathi sign-boards but reportedly the State Government, Home Department in consultation with their Law and Judiciary department concluded that there was no case against Raj Thackeray.
The Commissions in its notice has said that the contents of the press report if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the citizens of the country.
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The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo-motu cognizance of a distressing press report highlighting the incidents of attack on north Indian aspirants for railway jobs by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and has issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and the Director General of Police, Maharashtra for their comments within two weeks. The report headlined as "Repeat offender Raj goes unscathed" in "The Times of India", New Delhi dated 21.10.08 mentions about depleting law and order situation in Maharashtra in the wake of the violence by the Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activist who very often go on the rampage.
The press report has highlighted the incidents of attack on north Indian aspirants for railway jobs by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena who recently disrupted Railway Recruitment Board Exams in Mumbai on 19.10.08 demanding that only Maharashtrians be recruited to fill vacancies in central and western railways. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena reportedly did not shy away from promoting a violent form of ethnic politics to build its base. It is also stated in the press report that the State Government responses to the violent activities of the MNS, have not generated confidence, on the contrary the State's inaction seems to have boosted MNS' proclivities.
It says MNS party chief Raj Thackeray's has allegedly been involved in abetting crime instigating his party workers to violence time and again. In February his year, the MNS workers went on rampage in Pune and Nashik over jobs for sons of the soil but Maharashtra Government has allegedly failed to tackle the situation. Later a section of MNS activists damaged a large number of educational institutions in the Pune region. About a month ago, the MNS supporters again entered in a row over Jaya Bachchan preferring to speak in Hindi at a music launch at Mumbai and the MNS supporters created trouble for an upcoming Amitabh Bachchan release. As a result organizers had to abandon the premiere. Again the Raj Thackeray created a row over the issue of Marathi sign-boards but reportedly the State Government, Home Department in consultation with their Law and Judiciary department concluded that there was no case against Raj Thackeray.
The Commissions in its notice has said that the contents of the press report if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the citizens of the country.
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