The Janata Dal - United on Tuesday hit out at Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray after he came out in full support of his cousin Raj Thackeray's stand against migrants, saying Biharis are in Mumbai because of their hard work and have full rights to remain in the country's commercial capital.
JD-U spokesperson Neeraj Kumar demanded that Uddhav Thackeray's political license should be cancelled and that he should be put in a special jail cell for making unwarranted statements against Biharis.
"Who is Uddhav Thackeray to give a permit? They should be put in a special jail? His political license should be cancelled and he should be put in Mumbai's special cell. Such people are responsible for spreading tension in society," said Kumar.
"Biharis are not a burden on anyone. They have made Mumbai and we have full rights on the commercial capital of the country. Bihari are there because of their deeds and hard work. Who are they to give advice," he added.
When asked for his reaction to the Thackerays' claim that Biharis had majorly
contributed to the rise in Mumbai's crime rate, Kumar said, "From where does Dawood Ibrahim come from? When the Mumbai terror attacks took place, why didn't they give their comments at that point of time? They are spreading tension in society."
Uddhav Thackeray had earlier said that a permit system should be implemented for Biharis wanting to live in Mumbai.
Thackeray had made this statement in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna. He also criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for interfering in the Azad Maidan violence case.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray had earlier backed nephew Raj Thackeray on his stand against migrants.
"There was no need for the Bihar chief secretary to meddle in the affairs of the Mumbai police. He should focus more on his state's administration," Bal Thackeray said in a Saamna editorial.
The editorial also said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should have congratulated the Mumbai police for their action as the arrest had prevented Abdul Qadir from fomenting more trouble in Maharashtra.