People's Democracy

MAHARASHTRA

CPI(M) Condemns MNS Vandalism

IN a statement issued on November 10 by its secretary, Dr Ashok Dhawale, the Maharashtra state committee of the CPI(M) strongly condemned the vandalism and rowdy behaviour resorted to by MLAs of the Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) on the floor of the state legislative assembly on Monday, November 9. The statement said though they did all this in the name of protecting the honour  and identity of Maharashtra and the Marathi language, what they did has instead brought shame to the creed of defending the Marathi identity. Deploring their shameful conduct bringing disrepute to Maharashtra, the CPI(M) state committee said the disciplinary action taken against them was fully justified.

To recall, on the day MNS MLAs launched a physical assault on Abu Azmi, a SP legislator, on the floor of the assembly for taking oath in Hindi. Their behavious towards Smt Meenakshi Patil, a senior PWP MLA, was also deplorable and unbecoming. The CPI(M) said these actions were merely detrimental to our national integrity and our national interest but also fascistic and undemocratic.

The CPI(M) statement recalled that the constitution formulated and given to the Indian nation by its great and revered architect, Padmbhushan Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, contains safeguards for the just rights of the minorities and abounds with appropriate provisions for the purpose. The right and liberty given to Indian citizens to take the oath of loyalty on the floor of a state assembly in any Indian language is one such provision.

The statement said the vandalism of MNS MLAs was in fact a conspiracy to disrupt the unity, amity and democratic sentiments of the citizens at large. The CPI(M) state committee therefore appealed to all patriotic citizens to be vigilant to safeguard the social, communal and national harmony.