By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has demanded the expulsion of four Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, (MNS), MLAs who allegedly manhandled Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi for taking oath in the national language of India which is Hindi, from the membership of the House and debarred from contesting elections for at least six years. It also demanded that the Central Government and the Election Commission should also contemplate to ban or derecognize MNS.
The SDPI in a joint statement issued from New Delhi by E. Abubacker and A. Sayeed, party’s president and general secretary respectively, said if deterrent punishment is not handed over to the accused MNS lawmakers Shishir Shinde, Ram Kadam, Ramesh Wanzale and Vasant Gite to nip in the bud their cancerous approach to the affairs of India on linguistic lines then it would be disastrous. If harsh action is not taken against them then it would embolden them and it would be then construed that one is entitled to slap, punch, kick and humiliate anyone on the minor issues such as regional, lingual and racial bias in dignified places. The ruckus created by the four MNS MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly insulting the dignity of the House and showing disrespect to the national language should not go scot free by merely suspending them for four years, they asserted.
It must be understood plainly that Maharashtra is in India and it is for all Indians speaking any language. The citizens have this right enshrined in the Indian Constitution, they pointed out.
They said that this is most shameful act for MNS lawmakers to indulge in slapping and raining blows over their colleagues from Samajwadi Party Azmi for not obeying the diktat of MNS supremo Raj Thackeray, who had declared a “Firmaan” for all MLAs to take oath in Marathi and no other language.
It may be mentioned here that MNS chief Raj Thackeray had sent out an open letter to all 288 newly-elected legislators urging them to take the oath only in Marathi. He had announced that his party legislators would ensure that all MLAs took oath in Marathi. If any MLA does not take oath in Marathi, the House will see what happens, Raj had threatened.
The statement said that the double standards of the MNS MLAs to see that the diktat of their leader is implemented in letter and spirit by any means is quite visible to the naked eye. In the case of Azmi, who took the pledge in Hindi, the MNS MLAs pounced on him while another member who earlier took oath in English was spared, probably to the fact that Raj Thackeray’s sons study in English school, is astonishing. However, the MLAs in general exhibited cowardice and bowed to MNS chief’s diktat and took oath in Marathi to avoid their wrath which is also disgusting.
The defiance and temerity shown by the accused MLAs to repeat the act if required for the pride of Marathi language, with no remorse or regret whatsoever, speaks volumes of their mind set. It is very dangerous for the health of the country as the divide on linguistic lines will be ruinous. Raj Thackeray should also be taken to task as he is the main man behind fomenting trouble in the Maharashtra Assembly, they demanded.
The statement reminded that it was Raj who had launched an anti-north Indian campaign, demanding rights for sons-of-the-soil. The campaign had taken a violent turn when MNS men thrashed north-Indians, forcing several of them to leave the state. He had even opposed celebrating “Chhat Pooja”, held after Diwali festival in north India, in Maharashtra and said “only Maharashtra Day must be celebrated in Maharashtra”. ([email protected])