Lok Sabha Speaker accepted resignation of JD(U) MPs

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee accepted the resignation of 5 JD(U) MPs – Prabhunath Singh, George Fernandes, Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan, Kailash Baitha and Meena Singh. The JD(U) MPs had resigned on November 7 to protest against Raj Thackeray’s anti-North Indian tirade and Rahul Raj shootout in Mumbai.

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan have called the resignation of JD(U) Lok Sabha MPs as a political stunt and accused the party of breaking the political unity in Bihar. Lalu dared Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to ask his MLAs, MLCs and Rajya Sabha MPs to resign if he is so concerned about Bihar’s interests. Interestingly, the resignation of JD(U) MPs hold little significance, as the next general elections are due in February 2009.

 

CBI probe needed!

The BJP on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into the killing of Bihar youth Rahul Raj in a shootout with Mumbai Police, saying there were indications of “foul play” in the incident.

“The post-mortem report and the comments of the medical experts clearly indicate that there was foul play in the killing of the youth. Our party demands a CBI inquiry into the incident so that the truth is known,” party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters here.

Asked if the party would follow suit of ally JD(U) which has asked its MPs to resign over the issue, Rudy said, “resignation can never be a solution.”

“It is time for all of us to keep aside our political priorities to ensure peace in society and security of North Indians in Maharashtra,” he said.

“We differ on the approach with our ally JD(U) on resignation. The JD(U) has taken this decision without any consultation,” he added.

Raj, a resident of Patna, was killed in a shootout with the police after he held a bus with 12 passengers hostage in Mumbai suburb Kurla on October 27. The killing sparked a furore with several parties demanding a judicial probe into the incident.

The autopsy of the youth was performed at the J J Hospital and was recorded on video before the body was sent to Patna for cremation. A doctor involved in the autopsy has said one of the bullets may have been fired from a close range.

Maharashtra Chief Secretary Johny Joseph is conducting an independent probe into the incident while the Mumbai Police Crime Branch is also carrying out an internal inquiry.

The Supreme Court will hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a judicial inquiry in the alleged encounter of Bihar youth Rahul Raj by Mumbai Police.

The PIL filled in the apex court also seeks a judicial probe into the alleged lynching of a UP labourer Dharam Rai, while he was travelling on a train in Badlapur in Maharashtra.

Earlier today, the autopsy conducted by a four-member panel of forensic experts at J J Hospital in Mumbai on Thursday confirmed that Rahul Raj was shot from very close range.

The panel of doctors which conducted the post mortem on Raj revealed that there were five bullet entry wounds on his body, all in the chest and head region. However, there were only four exit wounds as one bullet was recovered from the body.

The experts also confirmed that at least 12-13 rounds of bullets were fired by the Mumbai Police team in a bid to end the BEST bus hijack drama.

The autopsy report has not been made official and the panel of doctors will shortly submit it to the government.

The findings of the post-mortem could complicate things for the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police, which is already under scanner for allegedly killing the 23-year-old youth from Bihar.

The finding is also expected to give credence to the allegations levelled by the Bihar government and Rahul Raj’s parents that Mumbai Police could have easily captured him, and there was no need to kill him.

The Additional Commissioner of Police Mumbai Sadanand Date had earlier supported the stand taken by the cops and warned that anybody trying to take law in his hands would also meet the same result.

Rahul Raj was killed by Mumbai Police when he tried to take a BEST bus hostage on gun point in order to send a strong message to MNS Chief Raj Thackeray for his party’s treatment to the North Indians.

The incident draw sharp reactions Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who alleged that it was wrong to shoot down Raj could and he could have been caught alive.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also spoke to the Maharashtra CM, Vilas Rao Deshmukh, and asked him to insure the safety of all sections so that incidents like this are not repeated in the future.

My son was shot in fake encounter: Rahul’s father

Reacting to the autopsy report of Rahul Raj, his father today reiterated that the report vindicated his claim that his son was killed in a fake encounter.

“I have been saying from day one that my son was captured and then shot from point blank range. The forensic report of the J J hospital, Mumbai, has vindicated my stand. The Centre should now dismiss the Maharashtra government,” Singh, told reporters.

Questioning the Centre that how many more Biharis do it wants to be killed in Maharashtra before taking a firm action he said, “the policemen involved in the encounter had worn bullet-proof jackets and could have easily overpowered my son, who I don’t know from where procured the gun.”

Singh thanked the hospital authorities for making public an “impartial and unbiased forensic report despite being under tremendous pressure.”

“If the Centre does not take action against the perpetrators of the crime and the Maharashtra government, lakhs of Rahul Raj are prepared to make supreme sacrifice to secure justice,” he asserted.

 

We are not Indians

In the wake of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s hate campaign against north Indians and non-Marathis, the Supreme Court on Thursday struck a patriotic note by saying that “all of us are Indians” and there is no difference between people coming from various regions.

“What’s the difference between north Indians and Indians? All of us are Indians,” a bench of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi quipped, while posting for Monday a PIL seeking judicial inquiry into the killing of a Bihari youth, Rahul Raj, in a police encounter and the murder of another north Indian in Mumbai last month.

On Tuesday the apex court had observed that if there was a “political will” such hate campaign would not occur in the country. It had also cited Article 355 to drive home the point that the Union government had adequate powers to give necessary directions to the State to prevent such incidents.

The bench of Justices Aggrawal and Singhvi said it would hear the matter along with another related PIL which had earlier sought appropriate directions to the government to ensure that the country’s unity was not threatened by vested interests fomenting regional chauvinism.

Incidentally, the apex court had directed the petitioners in both cases to suitably amend their petition and come before it when the matter is taken up for further hearing.

During the brief arguments on Thursday, the petitioner, Sanjeev Kumar Singh, submitted that he was compelled to approach the Supreme Court as the authorities in Maharashtra had failed to respond to his request for providing adequate protection to north Indians in the state.

“When I made representation to all senior officials including the Mumbai police commissioner, I was threatened that I would meet the same fate if I do not get out of the place,” Singh told the bench after being asked as to why he did not approach the authorities concerned with his plea.

Singh asserted that he had every right to approach the apex court as a number of his relatives staying in Maharashtra were under constant fear due to the ongoing hate campaign.

The apex court queried Singh as to whether he was aware that Article 355 of the Constitution to which the latter replied in the affirmative and read out the portion in the court on the advice of the bench.

According to Article 355, ‘It shall be the duty of the Union to protect every state against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the government of every state is carried on in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.’

Rahul Raj, 23-year-old resident of Patna was killed in a shootout in a BEST bus on October 27 and a day later Dharam Dev Rai (25), a resident of Faizabad in UP, was beaten to death on a local train in Mumbai.

On Tuesday, the apex court had observed that the issue was political in nature and “political will” was required to curb it.

“Can it be done through an order of this court? It is a political question, not a court issue. If there is a political will it can be tackled,” a bench of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi observed.

 

RJD MPs resigned

Several Rashtriya Janata Dal Members of Parliament, Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council submitted their resignations to party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday to protest the campaign against north Indians initiated by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the Shiv Sena in Mumbai.

On the auspicious day of Chhath Puja, the RJD MPs and MLAs submitting their resignation letters to RJD supremo and Union Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Around 140 MLAs and 35 MPs submitted their resignation letters, protesting against the attack on North Indians by MNS and Raj Thackeray in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra.

रेल मंत्री लालू यादव ने अपील की है कि यदि राज ठाकरे के ख़िलाफ़ 15 नवंबर तक कठोर कार्रवाई नहीं हुई तो बिहार के सभी सांसदों और विधायकों को इस्तीफ़ा दे देना चाहिए.

पटना में छठ से पहले पत्रकारों से बातचीत में लालू प्रसाद यादव ने बिहार के सभी राजनीतिक दलों से अपील की कि राज ठाकरे और शिव सेना के ख़िलाफ़ कारगर कार्रवाई के लिए राज्य के सभी सांसदों और विधायकों को मिलकर एक साथ आगे आना चाहिए.

लालू यादव ने कहा कि राज्य के सभी राजनीतिक दलों को चाहे वो सत्ता में हो या बाहर, इस मुद्दे पर 15 नवंबर से पहले एक राय हो जाना चाहिए.

उन्होंने कहा, “यह वोट की राजनीति के लिए नहीं है. बिहार के लोगों के हित में सभी दल आगे आएं. सुशील मोदी, पासवान, बसपा, हमारी पार्टी और अन्य दलों को भी एकसाथ इस मुद्दे पर आगे आना चाहिए.”

आंदोलन की चेतावनी

लालू प्रसाद का कहना था कि बिहार के रहनेवाले राहुल राज के एनकाउंटर के बाद जिस तरह से सभी राजनीतिक पार्टियों ने एकता का परिचय दिया था, उसी तरह से आगे की लड़ाई लड़ने की आवश्यकता भी है.

उन्होंने राहुल राज और अन्य उत्तर भारतीयों के मारे जाने की न्यायिक जाँच और राज ठाकरे की गिरफ़्तारी की माँग की.

लालू यादव ने बिहार के मुख्यमंत्री नीतीश कुमार पर भी निशाना साधा और कहा कि उनकी पार्टी और उनकी सहयोगी भारतीय जनता पार्टी शिव सेना से मिली हुई है.

ग़ौरतलब है कि लालू प्रसाद ने सभी पार्टियों के इस्तीफ़े की बात ऐसे समय पर की है जब बिहार की सत्ताधारी जनता दल-यू ने पिछले दिनों कहा था कि यदि राज ठाकरे पर कार्रवाई नहीं की गई तो उनके पाँच सांसद इस्तीफ़ा दे देंगे.

मुख्यमंत्री नीतीश कुमार ने माँग की थी कि राज ठाकरे पर मकोका लगाया जाए, महाराष्ट्र सरकार को बर्ख़ास्त किया जाए और राहुल राज के एनकाउंटर की न्यायिक जाँच कराई जाए.

 

MNS on US terror watch list

Patna: A group of non-resident Indians (NRI) has asked the U.S. to put Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on the “list of terrorist organisations which are out to hurt the humanity”.

“We requested the U.S. department of state to put Raj Thackeray and his group Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on the list of terrorist organisations which are out to hurt the humanity,” said a letter to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice by the US-based NRI group called Humane Mumbai.

NRI Ravi Verma, who hails from Katihar in Bihar, formed the group Humane Mumbai.

“There are several Indians of Marathi origin who were among the first to join the group Humane Mumbai,” Verma told IANS over phone from California.

After the hue and cry in India in the wake of the attacks on non-Maharashtrians, the Indian diaspora is also not taking this lightly, he said.

“The Indian diaspora prays that there is never an insane (person) like Raj Thackeray in the US or UK who starts a US or UK Navnirman Sena and instigates attacks on the Indians living there,” Verma said.

Verma said Humane Mumbai initiated the process of putting Raj Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on the infamous terror watch list Thursday.

Once Raj Thackeray is on the terror watch list, they will be under surveillance by the US for their activities, he said.

Verma, CEO of Telecommand Software and Services in the Silicon Valley, said there was widespread dismay among Indians throughout the world over the persecution of people of North Indian origin living in or visiting Maharashtra.

Indians of Marathi origin are particularly embarrassed at the events back home, he said.

The protests continued in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh against the attacks on non-Maharashtrians.

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Steel Minister Ramvilas Paswan have demanded a judicial probe into the killing of Rahul Raj, a youth from Patna, in a Mumbai bus by police Monday and the lynching of Dharamdev Ramnarain Rai from Uttar Pradesh the next day.

Another youth, Pawan Kumar from Bihar’s Nalanda district, was allegedly killed by MNS activists in Mumbai after he had gone there to take a railway recruitment exam.

 

Bihari MP, MLA going to resign

The politicians from Bihar seem to be a divided lot yet again. Just a few days after they showed unity in slamming Raj Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Lalu, Nitish and Paswan indulged in blame game on Sunday.

When the all-party delegation from Bihar under the leadership of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar met PM Dr. Manmohan Singh a few days ago, the vowed to fight for the right of Biharis in Maharashtra. However, Nitish Kumar and changed the course and tried to take mileage alone by announcing that his party MPs (Lok Sabha) will resign en mass if Raj Thackeray is not brought to book by November 6. It is no secret that JD(U) is in the opposition at the Centre and elections are due just after 3 months.

RJD supremo and Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav took strong exception to Nitish Kumar’s unilateral decision and dared JD(U) to ask its MPs (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha), MLAs and MLCs if the party is really serious about the dignity and respect of Bihari people. Lalu offered to submit the resignation of all his party MPs, MLAs and MLCs by November 15, if Nitish, Paswan and other leaders from Bihar come to an unanimous decision.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed both RJD and JD(U) over this resignation drama. “The statement by Lalu Prasad Yadav is nothing but another spell of rhetoric,” said BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who also hails from Bihar. He also criticised the JD(U) for taking such a decision in a huff without consulting the NDA partners. “The BJP feels that the north Indians in Maharashtra should be spared of the politicians and politics,” said Rudy.

 

Maharashtra government sent a preliminary report

The Maharashtra government has sent a preliminary report to the Home Ministry confirming that the man hailing from Uttar Pradesh was beaten to death on the train.

Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil has said his government is taking all possible steps to check the violence and will take stern action against the offenders.

Maharashtra government has announced a compensation of Rs two lakh for the family of Dharamdev Rai, a UP labourer beaten to death on Mumbai local train.

Twelve people have been detained for questioning in connection with the labourer’s killing. Railway police have begun probe into the case. They have said that some of the assailants were speaking in Marathi. Maharashtra DGP has sent a report to the Centre on the case.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has asked the Centre for a probe into the killing of Rai.

The post mortem report of the UP youth, who was beaten to death on Mumbai local train, shows he died of injuries to the liver.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil has spoken to Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister on migrant’s death.

“We are taking all possible steps to check the violence. Violence on train falls under Railway police and stern action is being taken against the offenders. It is very difficult to check stray incidents of violence. We are in touch with Centre on Maharashtra violence,” said Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chief Minister, Maharashtra.

“We’ve registered a case of murder and are conducting an investigation. We take full responsibility of the safety of UP, Bihar migrants in Mumbai, ” said RR Patil, Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra told NDTV.

Earlier, Rai, a young man from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh died after he was severely beaten on a suburban train in Badlapur in Maharashtra. He was on his way home to Gorakhpur for Diwali.

Three of his friends who were travelling with him were also beaten. They rushed Dharamdev to a hospital where he was declared dead.

“If the government here wants, please help us move out of Maharashtra today itself. We don’t want to live here. How will you then earn a living? I will do something at home. Nobody dies of hunger in UP. I have passed Intermediate, couldn’t get a job there, so came here for a private job. I earn Rs 5,000 a month and if I don’t get a new job, I will do farming,” said Brahmadev Rai, brother of Dharmadev Rai.

One of the victim’s friends has claimed they were attacked by a group of Marathi speaking youth who abused them for taking up jobs in Mumbai.

“We were four of us. We took the train from Khopoli. Some people boarded the train on the way and started asking us questions, then they started abusing and beating us. They said why do you come to Mumbai for jobs? We kept saying we are going home for Diwali and we apologised but they paid little heed to it. My friend fell unconscious. As the train slowed down they jumped off. Police asked us to get off at Badlapur and we were brought to Dubey Hospital. But my friend was declared brought dead,” said Shivkumar Verma, one of the victims who was beaten up.

On its part, the BJP has blamed the Congress for propping up Raj Thackeray whose campaign against north Indians have led to the lynching.

 

Raj

Maharashtra’s Deshmukh government is facing tremendous pressure to act against Maharashtra Navnirman chief Raj Thackeray and clear the air on killing of a Bihar boy in firing by police.

The Union Cabinet discussed the killings of north Indians in Maharashtra on Thursday night after ally Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party insisted on a discussion.

The Cabinet told Home Minister Shivraj Patil to convey to Maharashtra Chief Minister that there was near unanimity in the Cabinet over the two demands.

It also made it clear that MNS leader Raj Thackeray should be arrested under National Security Act.

The Law Minister backed the demand for a judicial probe into the death of Rahul Raj — the boy who attempted hijacking a bus at gun point.

He also said that Rahul Raj’s killing has turned into a police versus public matter.

And as the UPA allies asked for action, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh informed the Cabinet that he had written a strong worded letter to Maharashtra CM.

During the meeting, the Home Minister said he had sent three advisory to Maharashtra government but the UPA allies were not convinced.

However, ministers from Maharashtra like Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel and Antulay skipped the meet.

 

Fears grip Raj Thackeray

MNS Chief Raj Thackeray held a press conference to speak out his mind on the controversies surrounding his party and North Indians in Maharashtra. Raj Thackeray alleged that nobody raised the issue when Biharis were killed in Assam. But some politicians from Bihar “with vested interest” are targeting him, when Biharis were attacked in Mumbai and Maharashtra.

Raj made it clear that he won’t tolerate migrants not knowing Marathi, but decided against politicising “Chhath Puja” or any other festivals. “MNS won’t stop Chhath (Chhat) Puja. There is no question of violence on Chhath (Chhat) Puja”, said Raj Thackeray. People can celebrate all festivals including Chhath Puja without any fear, said Raj. Raj asked why no probe was ordered when Biharis were killed in Assam.

“Bihar politicians have ganged up on this issue and they are targeting me. Ironically, Maharashtra politicians are united on this issue, which is creating confusion in the state. Nobody wants violence, but it is being imposed. I won’t issue any statement, which may lead to violence”, said Raj Thackeray.

Under attack for his campaign against north Indians, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday softened his stand on Chhat puja, saying that he was not opposed to the festival being celebrated in Maharashtra but warned against it being used as a show of political strength.

“I have never opposed Chhat Puja but only spoke against political ‘tamasha’ (stunt) associated with it. People from Bihar who live here can perform the religious rituals according to the customs. My party has never opposed it,” he told media persons in Mumbai.

The MNS chief, whose detention under National Security Act has been demanded by some Union ministers in the wake of attacks on north Indians in Maharashtra, warned that he would not tolerate disregard of the Marathi speaking people in the state.

The Chhat festival will be celebrated on November 4.

Thackeray also asked his supporters to exercise restraint and accused the media of distorting his views and spreading falsehood.

Justifying the killing of a youth who had hijacked a bus in Mumbai, he said the police action was ‘proper’ as no one knew from which state the youth came from.

“What if he had shot some commuters, then you people would have taken the police to task,” he said.

Thackeray also downplayed the killing of a youth in a suburban train during a brawl with a group of youngsters.

“Even the Railway police are saying that there has been no involvement of any political party,” he said.

Besides, he recalled that in an incident sometime back, four Marathi youths where thrown out on tracks by a group of people from other states. “But no one said a word about the incident,” he said.

Thackeray criticised the Maharashtra government and Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for withdrawing his security and termed the move as ‘political vendetta’.

“I had not asked for security in the first place. But, now it has been withdrawn which is clearly political vendetta. The government keeps changing and even I will have a chance tomorrow,” he said.

“There is a state-level committee, which decides on security according to threat perception and not on the number of cases against the person. After the Babri mosque demolition in 1992, security of political leaders against whom cases had been registered was also increased,” he said.

Thackeray also ridiculed demands to book him under the NSA.

“When Lalu (Prasad) was the chief minister of Bihar, there were 1,200 murders. But, there was no demand to book him under NSA. When Biharis were killed in Assam, there was no uproar,” he said.

“A Goan minister opposed starting of Goa-Bihar railway by saying that the state did not want more beggars. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit also spoke against people of Bihar and UP. But, only when Raj Thackeray speaks, there is a nationwide uproar and Prime Minister has to intervene.”

Lashing out at Deshmukh, Thackeray said he had no expectations from him.

“What can you expect from people whose political survival is at the mercy of Delhi,” he asked.

The MNS chief also said that he would not allow anybody to harm ‘Marathi identity’.

“Political rivals who do not see eye-to-eye on several issues come together. But, it is also very unfortunate that 48 MPs from Maharashtra are mute spectators,” he said, referring to the delegation of Bihar politicians meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

 

tough action against MNS chief Raj Thackeray

The Union Cabinet meeting yesterday witnessed some heated discussions over Maharahstra Navnirman Sena and its chief Raj Thackeray. Many ministers demanded tough action against MNS chief Raj Thackeray for vitiating the peaceful atmosphere in the state and even asked the Centre to arrest him under NSA (National Security Act). They also demanded a judicial probe into the killing of two youths from Bihar and UP in Maharashtra.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh expressed deep concerns over the situation in Maharashtra and revealed that he had already written a strong-worded letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to take tough action against Raj Thackeray.

The UPA seemed to be divided on Maharashtra, as senior ministers from the state Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel and AK Antulay skipped the meeting. The UPA allies were not convinced at Home Minister Shivraj Patil’s statement that Centre has already sent three advisories to the Maharashtra government.