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ShareMaharashtra Navnirman Sena's (MNS) diktat to traders to display their signboards prominently in Marathi is rapidly alienating the Gujarati community.
The firm stand of the traders association, which has a sizable number of Gujaratis as members, has forced MNS chief Raj Thackeray to take a dig at the entire community.
"These people weren't quick enough to send help when there was an earthquake in Latur. But they were prompt in raising fund and food when Bhuj was shattered by a similar earthquake. Why do they discriminate like this?" said Thackeray while addressing a gathering at Rang Sharda Hall in Bandra (west) on Wednesday.
In a letter sent to the police, Thackeray insinuated that some "bhaiyyas and baniyas" were stopping the progress of Marathi speaking people.
However, Thackeray's sudden tirade against the Gujarati community has shocked political observers. "This is the first time that he has targeted any other community for not respecting Marathi. In fact, he had earlier complimented the Gujaratis for celebrating Navratri in a peaceful manner," said a senior political expert.
The Federation of Retail Traders and Welfare Association (FRTWA) has now planned to send a circular to its five lakh members in Maharashtra asking them to unite against the government's inefficiency. Viren Shah, joint secretary, FRTWA, said, "Our shops are being attacked and the government is not taking any action against the culprits. If the government fails to protect us we will have to shift our base."
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come forward against the MNS diktat. "We will protest if any trader is attacked or any other shop gets ransacked," said BJP Mumbai president Gopal Shetty. He alleged that MNS has made the signboards into a prestige issue. "We do not oppose it but there are more important issues to be tackled. No one is talking about them."
MNS general secretary Shirish Parkar alleged that Shah was trying to spread hatred against Thackeray."He didn't threaten any trader. Still Shah is trying to sow the seeds of hatred."
