The Hindu : Thackeray clarifies on `sons-of-the-soil' policy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 31, 2003

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Thackeray clarifies on `sons-of-the-soil' policy

Mumbai May 30. The Shiv Sena supremo, Bal Thackeray, today warned that a misinterpretation of the sons-of-the-soil policy could prove deterimental for the country as it could create differences among various States.

Mr. Thackeray's statement carried in the party mouthpiece "Saamna" here came as reports in a section of media claimed that the Sena's unit in Varanasi had asked Maharashtrians to leave the historical city within 48 hours or "face consequences".

The Sena sources said the party's Varanasi unit had not given any such ultimatum and that statements to this effect had been made by the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party leaders.

"Those issuing such diktats have not understood our position over the sons-of-the-soil policy," Mr. Thackeray said following media reports that the Sena's "Me Mumbaikar" campaign had boomeranged with Maharashtrians being asked to leave Varanasi.

The Sena chief said the people of Varanasi must fight the growing influx to their city and make attempts to provide justice to the sons-of-the-soil theory but should not indulge in creating differences between two States.

The reaction in Varanasi came after the Sena's executive president, Uddhav Thackeray, launched the "Me Mumbaikar" campaign and party activists recently protested against the recruitment of "outsiders" in Air India and Railways. — PTI

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