Hooliganism will not be tolerated, warns Chavan

Apparently referring to Shiv Sena's parochial attitude, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Sunday said acts of hooliganism by any party in the state will not be tolerated.

Indirectly referring to Sena's threat to disrupt screening of Shah Rukh Khan starrer 'My Name is Khan', he said, "Someone is telling that they will not permit a film's release and will not allow foreign cricketers to play here...But the government will take strict action against those who engage in such business."

Chavan was addressing the Congress workers at the Garware Stadium in Auranganbad. The convention was organised to mark the 125th year of the party and completion of 50 years of the state.

"The ideology of Congress should be given priority and it should be propagated among people. Those who will come to the state legally would be supported by the state government. Nobody can separate Mumbai from Maharashtra," he said.

The chief minister said some people were merely engaged in such propaganda that Mumbai was going to be separated from Maharashtra. He assured that more funds would be given to Marathwada and Vidharbha as these regions are backward.

Freedom fighters from Marathwada were felicitated on the occasion and the victims of the Pune blast were paid tributes.

In his speech, State Revenue Minister Narayan Rane lambasted Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party. "BJP has grown to be the party of singers and it was evident at the national convention of the party. Shiv Sena is unable to protect itself from dissidence and it is always criticising other parties on meaningless issues."

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee chief Manikrao Thackeray said that within the first 100 days of Congress in power in the state, the party has seen that all its election assurances of manifesto are fulfilled.

He said though a leader from Maharashtra was elected as the national president of the BJP, Congress successfully wrested three legislative council seats from it.

Minister of state Rajendra Darda, All India Congress Committee Secretary Mohan Prakash, Guardian Minister Radhkrishna Vikhe Patil, Minister of State Abdul Sattar, MP and actor Raj Babbar, MLAs and MLCs from Marathwada were also present.