Raut regrets Saamna article on North Indians

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut is understood to have expressed regret on Thursday over the controversial editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna, which had created a row in Parliament for its criticism of North Indians, especially Biharis and leaders like Rashtriya Janata Party chief Lalu Prasad.

Raut has expressed regret before the Privileges Committee of the Rajya Sabha, which had summoned him following the editorial penned by Sena chief Bal Thackeray in March last year, sources in the Committee said.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, is the Executive Editor of the Sena mouthpiece. The committee has not taken a final view in the matter so far.

In the editorial, Thackeray had attacked MPs from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for allegedly launching anti-Marathi tirade in Parliament.

The editorial was highly critical of Lalu Prasad and senior JD-U leader Prabhunath Singh. Sources said the committee went through an English translation of the article written originally in Marathi.