World | India
Top judges flay Thackeray brand of politics
Coming down sternly on the sectarian politics practised by some regional parties, the Supreme Court on Friday said it did not approve of "the sons-of-soil theory" and would not "allow the Balkanisation of India".
- IANS
- Published: 01:05 February 23, 2008
New Delhi: Coming down sternly on the sectarian politics practised by some regional parties, the Supreme Court on Friday said it did not approve of "the sons-of-soil theory" and would not "allow the Balkanisation of India".
"This Bhumiputra [sons-of-soil] theory is not acceptable," observed a bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices R.V. Raveendran and Markandey Katju while hearing a petition seeking a directive to the Maharashtra and the central governments to stop the sectarian movement against north Indians spearheaded by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray.
Concerted drive
"We will not allow Balkanisation of India. India is one country," said Katju against the concerted drive by the MNS to oust migrant workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh from Mumbai in particular and Maharashtra in general.
The bench, however, asked the petitioner's lawyer, Arvind Suhkla, to first go to the Bombay High Court to challenge the sectarian politics adopted by Thackeray's MNS.
In his public interest lawsuit, Shukla had sought a directive from the apex court to the Election Commission to derecognise Raj Thackeray's political outfit for indulging in sectarian politics and making controversial remarks against north Indians earlier this month.
Raj Thackeray is the estranged nephew of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.
Security
Shukla also wanted a directive to the central government to provide security to non-Maharashtrians and north Indians living in Mumbai and other cities in Maharashtra.
In Mumbai, MNS targeted Bihari cab drivers, setting fire to taxi cars and beating up the drivers.
In Nashik, an MNS stronghold several buses were set on fire and one man died in stone throwing at a bus. The petition was filed following the violence in Maharashtra as the MNS stepped up its attack on north Indians and the party's workers began targeting them. Shukla alleged that Thackeray's action had endangered the integrity of the nation.
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