Cut off hands of outsiders if they attack women: Raj

Continuing with his tirade against north-Indians, MNS chief Raj Thackeray asked his party workers to cut off hands of those outsiders who are involved in assaults on women in Maharashtra. Yogesh Joshi reports.

Continuing with his tirade against north-Indians, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray asked his party workers to cut off hands of those outsiders who are involved in assaults on women in Maharashtra.

HT Image

"Cut off hands of outsiders if they attack our sisters and mothers. Don't even wait for my instructions. I also appeal police to ignore my party workers who will act against outsiders," Raj said citing an example Raju Paswan, a person from Bihar, who raped and killed nine-year-old girl from Sangli.

Paswan, who was held guilty of rape and murder by Sangli court, had told the police during investigations that his act was to seek revenge for the injustice on people from Bihar.

Reading out Paswan's statement at a crowded public rally in Kolhapur on Tuesday, two days after he started his state tour, Thackeray said outsiders come to Maharashtra and indulge in crime. "This happens because the government here is weak."

The MNS chief also blamed the railway ministry for bringing in large numbers of north Indians to Maharashtra.

"There are currently 56 trains that come to Maharashtra from UP and Bihar. These trains bring in large numbers of outsiders," Thackeray said.

The MNS chief also threatened home minister RR Patil after reports of his followers intimidating MNS activists who were opening new party branches.

"I have heard that RR Patil's men have threatened my workers and office bearers who wanted to open party shakhas. I swear by you that if RR's workers do it again, then his family members will be threatened by me," Thackeray said.