Cutting across party lines, leaders in Bihar on Sunday reacted strongly over Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's statement where he blamed 'Bihari migrants' being responsible for the recent gangrape in Delhi.
"It has become a habit for Raj Thackeray to insult Biharis and abuse and defame them. The latest remark of Raj Thackeray is to create a bad image of Bihar," Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad told mediapersons in Patna.
Lalu said that Raj Thackeray should avoid such statements and behave like a civilized man.
Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan said that it appears that Raj Thackeray has an allergy with Bihar and its people.
Paswan said that ghost of Bihar is haunting Raj Thackeray whether he is in sleep or awake. "He is doing a cheap politics by creating hatred in the name of Biharis," Paswan said.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar without naming Raj Thackeray said that people of Bihar are not beggars, they are doing well in different fields across India and abroad due to their hard labour.
Senior Congress leader Prem Chand Mishra said that Thackeray is doing everything with a deliberate move to target Biharis in Maharashtra and outside. "Raj Thackeray is playing narrow minded politics for vote only by targeting BIharis for everything. It should be countered by all," Mishra said.
Ruling Janata Dal-United spokesperson Sanjay Singh said that Raj Thackeray should be sent to a mental hospital for treatment.
Bihar deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said that action should be taken against Thackeray either by Maharashtra government or central government for his irresponsible statement against Biharis.
Speaking at the Global Konkan Festival in Mumbai Saturday evening, Thackeray said the gangrape of the 23-year-old woman was sad and nobody should ever face such a
situation.
"However, nobody is willing to go to the root of the matter and reveal who committed the heinous crime. They were all from Bihar," Thackeray said.
