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CM draws 'Lakshman Rekha' between Govt., Shiv Sena
CM draws 'Lakshman Rekha' between Govt., Shiv Sena
Hindustan Times, March 30, 1995
HT Correspondent
BOMBAY, March 29. After two weeks in office, Maharashtra Chief Minister
Manohar Joshi, beleaguered by the utterances of the Shiv Sena Chief Bal
Thackeray, today finally drew the line between his Govt. and the party.
"What Balasaheb says in Samna are his expressions. These are not
directions. I shall be guided by them wherever necessary. If required
I'll discuss his suggestions with him," Mr. Joshi told newsmen.
Opposition Congress criticised him in both the Houses for his remarks
yesterday over Thackeray's controversial statements on a particular
community. Mr. Joshi had said that he was proud of his leader's comment
about wiping out an entire community throughout the country. The State
Assembly adjourned for the day after transacting business for just 20
minutes censuring the Chief Minister for taking pride in an intended act
of decimation.
The rapping appeared to have at least knocked off a lurking sense of
servility to the party boss in Mr. Joshi. Samna, he said, was just like
any other newspaper. "Other newspapers express an opinion, do does Samna.
Its view would be treated at par with those expressed by any other
media," Mr. joshi said.
Mr. Joshi had in the last few days strained to defend Mr. Thackeray's
much-proclaimed remote-control over his Govt. as merely a matter of
transaction between a father and son.
Today also, Mr. Thackeray continued to bring embarrasment to his party's
Govt. with a statement in the Samna that in identifying foreign nationals
it would be the 'sainiks' who would take the lead and the police would
merely be assisting them. This also figured in the Houses. "The role of
the sainiks would be merely to identify foreigners, to give information.
The police would take action by initiating due process of the law," the
Chief Minister clarified contradicting his party leader.
In a statement he made on the floor of the Houses that couldn't be heard
in the din. Mr. joshi assured people that there would be no police
excess in this exercise. "I have instructed the police accordingly. No
citizen would be harassed. I appeal to legislators as well the members of
the public not to misunderstand Mr. Thackeray's pronouncements on
evicting foreigners.
He said that Mr. Thackeray wanted detection and deportation of foreign
nationals because he wants to prevent terrorist strikes from such
elements. "His utterances are most importantly intended to serve as a
deterrent to these groups. I appeal to you all to understand this."
Mr. Joshi went on to say, "I wish to inform the House as well as the
Chair that I have not violated my oath of office nor bypassed any Article
of the Constitution. I appeal to everyone of you here to help me weed out
illegal immigrants."
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