Maharashtra could be next target after J&K: Raj Thackeray

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray Friday said that following the bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Maharashtra could be Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah’s next target.

While addressing his party cadres at Prabhadevi, Mr Thackeray slammed the government for putting J&K in complete lockdown. The MNS chief claimed that the government had set an unconstitutional precedent by bifurcating a state without taking the Assembly into confidence.

“Today, there is security personnel outside people’s homes in Kashmir. There is no internet, no TV, no landlines and no cellphones. Tomorrow, the same security personnel could be standing outside your homes in Mumbai or Vidarbha. Your views will be irrelevant. This is happening due to the brute majority of the government,” said Mr Thackeray.

Mr Thackeray’s statement came just days after he congratulated Modi government for abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution.

He further claimed that Vidarbha could be carved out of Maharashtra, in a manner similar to Jammu &Kashmir.

The BJP has been a vocal supporter of statehood for Vidarbha, a very sensitive issue for the rest of Maharashtra.

Before the Lok Sabha election, Union minister and Nagpur MP Nitin Gadkari had spoken in favour of a separate Vidarbha state.