After attacking migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray has now trained his guns at a growing number of North Indian students coming to Pune for higher education.
"Pune, with its large number of reputed universities and institutions imparting higher education is attracting students from these states who are being given admissions on massive donations leaving in the lurch the deserving Marathi aspirants," he said at a party rally held in Pune on Sunday night, defying police ban.
"We will be watching these institutions as the new academic year is approaching. We know that these affluent students from UP and Bihar also indulge in eve teasing and arrogant behaviour. If they persist with this they will be taught a lesson," the MNS leader added.
Thackeray said he would not like to equate those coming from UP and Bihar with the people from other North Indian states. Even states like Punjab and Delhi harbour anti- UP-Bihari sentiments, he claimed.
Twenty-eight MNS activists, including party general secretary Deepak Paigude, were arrested by police for organizing the rally, defying the ban orders imposed to ensure smooth flow of traffic through the city.
On Chhat Pooja, he said if Railway Minister Lalu Prasad continued to challenge and provoke MNS, he would not be allowed to come out of Mumbai airport to perform it.
"We are not against the pooja but any attempt to turn it into a strength show on part of UP and Bihari migrants will not be tolerated," he added.