Maharashtra governor joins issue with law and order critics

Mumbai: Maharashtra Governor S.C. Jamir has asserted that the state government is fully capable of ensuring law and order in its jurisdiction and has taken strong objection to outside "interference" in the state's affairs.

"Nobody has any right to defame Maharashtra," Jamir said when an all-party delegation led by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh called on him to voice concern over statements made by political leaders from some other states.

"Maharashtra is the cradle of Indian nationalism and is one of the most progressive states in the country," said Jamir and assured the delegation he would convey their distress to the prime minister and president.

Concerted campaign

Jamir's statements that no one should meddle in the affairs of a state is of significance in the backdrop of a campaign by north Indian leaders like Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of Bihar who had criticised the growing law-and-order problem in the state and the insecurity faced by north Indians living in the state following attacks on north Indian migrants by pro-Marathi Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists.

"It is unfortunate that efforts have been made in the last few weeks by leaders of some states to create a wrong impression regarding the state of Maharashtra, known for its tradition of tolerance, progressive reform and cosmopolitan culture," said Deshmukh.

"Allegations that people from other states residing in Maharashtra are not safe are completely untrue. The state's culture has never been parochial and efforts to defame Maharashtra on this issue may endanger our national unity and integrity," he said.

Earlier, all-party meetings had been held on November 10 and 12 to reach consensus on the issue but the the Hindu nationalist Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party kept away.

Meanwhile, the controversy over the campaign against North Indians were given a new twist yesterday with television channels showing video clips of MNS chief Raj Thackeray allegedly cutting a cake with the word "Bhaiyya" written on it on his birthday on June 14.

Bhaiyya, or elder brother, is a term used for people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in the city.

Thackeray cuts the cake by making two diagonal slashes on the cake to cut the word "Bhaiyya" even as he is watched by his family and friends. The video clip has been shot by an unknown person from a mobile phone.