PUNE: In a tone laced with anger, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Sunday expressed concern over the recent attacks on Maharashtrian families in the north Indian state of Haryana and said that he had spoken to his Haryana counterpart deploring the attacks and urged the latter to ensure their safety.
In a brief interaction with the media on the sidelines of a public function, Deshmukh said, “I am also writing to the Haryana chief minister in this regard and would request him to take all measures to protect the Maharashtrian families in Haryana state.”
However, Deshmukh opined that barring minor incidents, Maharashtrian families will not face much trouble in Haryana and said that the Congress government in Haryana can easily oversee their safety.
In an oblique reference to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Deshmukh said if people really have the interests of Marathi people in their mind, then it is a good thing. But, if the issue is exploited for political reasons or to enhance personal image, it could evoke bad consequences.
In another development, Samajwadi Party state president and member of Parliament Abu Asim Azmi said that Muslims should not be labeled as terrorists. “Don’t call Muslims terrorists. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism,” he said while speaking at a press conference on Sunday.
Azmi was in town to attend a daylong seminar on “What Should Muslims Do?” organized by Qaumi Majlis-e-Shoura at Lady Hawabai High School in Pune Cantontment.
Targeting the Maharashtra government over the recent turn of events in the Malegaon blasts case, Azmi said, “The Maharashtra government had come out openly saying that the culprits in the Malegaon case were Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activists.”
However, the recent disclosures clearly suggest who was responsible for the blasts. He demanded an apology from the Maharashtra government and sought immediate release of those whom he termed as “falsely implicated” in the Malegaon blasts case.
