Mumbai: The division in the Sangh Parivar over the issue of North Indians vs Marathi manoos issue being pursued by the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena came out in the open on Monday.
While Shiv Sena made it clear that it would not heed any advice on its 'Mumbai only for Maharashtrians' agenda, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came out openly against the divisive agenda.
While RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had told sangh workers on Sunday to protect Noth Indians in Maharashtra and ensure that the community was not attacked, the BJP called Shiv Sena and MNS's agenda unconstitutional.
But Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray warned the RSS to mind its own business and said that Mumbai belonged only to the Maharashtrians.
"I want to make it clear that nobody has right to speak about Mumbai other than Marathi manoos. Mumbai belongs to Maharashtrians," said Uddhav on Monday.
When asked about RSS' chief remarks about Indians are free to live and world anywhere in the country, Uddhav replied, "I am telling them not to worry about Mumbai."
But Uddhav declined to comment on BJP's stand that Shiv Sena asking people from North Indian states not to come and settle in Maharashtra was unconstitutional.
"I don't want to comment on that. BJP have not said anything to us so far. If anyone wants to say anything then they should come out," he said.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari, himself from Maharashtra, made it clear that his party was opposed to politics based on regional identities.
"It has been the consistent stand of BJP and earlier the Jan Sangh that all Indians have the right to reside in any part of India. It is on the basis of this principal that we have always opposed Article 370. But BJP also recognises importance of linguistic and regional identities," said Gadkari.
Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi said that Mumbai was not only for Maharashtrians whether the Shiv Sena liked it or not.
"There is no question of an old ally. It is an totally unconstitutional statement that Mumbai is only for Maharashtrians. It is a highly divisive statement. No sensible party, organisation or leader would ever support such a statement. I feel that this politics is one of the worst examples of votebank politics. It must be ensured that no violation of Constitution is allowed," said Joshi.
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