The war of words between the Congress and the Shiv Sena over North Indians being targeted in Mumbai has intensified. In one of the strongest attack on the Shiv Sena, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi said that the commandos who saved Mumbai during 26/11 terror attacks were North Indians.The daring rescue operations during the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 were carried out by National Security Guard (NSG) commandos from different parts of the country.As they forced their way into the besieged buildings, they didn't bother about which state they belonged to. Now as Shiv Sena has started to raise the 'Mumbai only for Maharashtrians' slogan once again, Rahul Gandhi has send the regional party a pointed reminder. "Who rescued Mumbai during 26/11? The NSG commandos came to Mumbai's rescue and most of them came from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh," Rahul Gandhi told Youth Congress workers in Bodhgaya on Monday.The Shiv Sena has been quick to hit back with party Executive President Uddhav Thackeray saying Rahul’s comments are an insult to the memory of 26/11 martyrs like Hemant Karkare. Uddhav said in a signed column in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna that Rahul has forgotten the Maharashtrian heroes like Hemant Karkare, Tukaram Ombale, Vijay Salaskar and Ashok Kamte. The Sena, smarting from the electoral defeat in Assembly polls a few months ago, has fallen back on the Marathi manoos strategy to take on its rivals. But Rahul's question has pushed the Sena on the backfoot. "We appreciate that we are part of India," Shiv Sena legal cell chief Rahul Narvekar said. "We are only insisting that Mumbai is for Maharashtrians," added Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has laid down the agenda for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Sangh has made it clear that even a very old ally like the Shiv Sena would have to be confronted in an year when Bihar is going to the polls.
The BJP has been doing a tightrope walk. There will be no compromise and Maharashtra BELONGS to all Indians. There is some politics happening in Maharashtra which is the politics of alienation," said BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has backed the Rahul Gandhi. "India is a democratic country. Does it mean that only the opinion of the MNS or Shiv Sena will be taken seriously? There'll be zero tolerance towards any nuisance," warned Chavan. Rahul Gandhi has begun his Bihar campaign on the right note, straightaway sending a signal that Congress more than Lalu Prasad is Nitish Kumar's alternative.
Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/after-rss-rahul-targets-senas-marathi-agenda/109543-37.html?from=tn
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