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The growing support for the party in the megapolis's Muslim-dominated areas like Umerkhadi and Dongri, is sure to give the ruling Congress-NCP a hard time during elections. The Muslim-dominated areas saw a lower voter turnout during last year's civic body elections.
More than 2000 Muslims have enrolled as party activists in the last 3-4 months, said MNS Vibhag Pramukh (unit leader), Virendra Patil, of the newly formed Mumbadevi assembly constituency after delimitation.
Mumbadevi comprises areas like Dongri, Umerkhadi and Bhendi Bazar with over 70 per cent of the population being Muslim.
Disillusioned with the Congress, NCP and SP, Muslims are finding MNS as an alternative, Patil said. "Besides, our activists help locals in every possible way by organising cleanliness drives among other things," he said.
"Of the 65 per cent of Muslims in Umerkhadi, a majority of them hail from Konkan. They support Raj Thackeray's stand that priority should be given to locals in jobs," he added.
Patil said he was a candidate in Municipal Ward Number 221 (Umerkhadi) in last year's election and finished second. "We have the grass-root support and hope to do very well in the forthcoming elections," he added. In municipal elections, MNS bagged 7300 votes in six wards of Mumbadevi assembly segment, he said.
"Our votes will increase three times in the next Lok Sabha and assembly polls," he said. Zakir Habia, MNS Shakha (divisional) President of Ward Number 220, said the party was not communal.
"Rajsaheb says locals should be given priority in Maharashtra. If the burgeoning migrant population does not stop, locals will have no alternative but to go around with a begging bowl," Habia, a scrap dealer, said.
Zakir said north Indian activists of MNS feel that unchecked migration was causing trouble to locals. "All we want is that the flow of migrants to the state should stop so that locals living here since long, irrespective of their native language, can survive," he said. "Why can't UP and Bihar provide job opportunities to its people," Zakir asked.
He said Muslims are happy with MNS because its cadre helps them to solve their local problems and civic issues. Sharif Deshmukh, Deputy Vibhag Pramukh of Mumbadevi assembly constituency said MNS had enrolled over 400 women activists in the last few months.
"Educated Muslims from Konkan and Gujarat who have been living in the state for many generations and are involved in small businesses agree that they face trouble due to the continuous onslaught of migrants," Deshmukh said adding that UP Muslims living here for several years also say that migration needs to stop.
"Even women are supporting us because we help their children get enrolled in schools," he said adding that there are more than 20,000 Muslim activists of the MNS all over Mumbai.
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You guyz missed it. H_ndu Musl_m S_kh Chr_st_an With I (as in India) no community or religion can exist. Love India, Love your Religion & Respect other's religion.
I would like to inform MNS that there is no great heroic achievement in hitting at the north Indians. You walk any street of Mumbai and you will find that the Northies work harder than the counterpart maharashtrians. How can you beat the people who are indian by law. He is very well aware that lots of Bangladeshis are sitting in Mumbai and Calcutta. Leave alone Calcutta. can MNS chief dare to throw the Bangladeshi MUSLIMS out of Mumbai? He just cannot because they are more dare devils than MNS members. By supporting the MNS the Muslims are ensuring that the illegal Bangladeshis are given asylum.Let me caution MNS chief that these are the ploys of the Muslims to gain support till they capture seats of power. Once done they will look after their interest only.I challenge MNS to go to bhendi Bazar and evict the road side vendors immigrants. All his roar is only on hapless Indians and not bangla Muslims. I salute MNS chief when he does what I have challenged
I wonder as to how Parties like MNS are still recognised by the Election Commission. These Parties spread only hatred and indulge in hooliganism and attrocities, apart from destruction of Public properties. The attrocities of MNS now itself is at the peak. Just imagine the plight of Maharashtra, if this Party forms the Government or become a partner of a ruling coalition, which situation is detrimental for the peace and harmony of the country. If the Government is not going to ban parties like MNS, it will become a serious threat to the National Integration. Whilst enacting laws to deal tough with Terrorists, the Government should also pass legislations to derecognise these mushroom political outfits, which will go a long way in ensuring the peace and harmony of our motherland.
Dear Sir, if some Moslems found sense in what Raj Thakeray says, you should at least try to understand their point.All hatred is wrong, including DMK
All hindus,muslims and marathis watch 'Vande Mataram 'on youtube to get your feelings of oneness. SHAME ON YOU!
good, be united and fight for unity of India. Divisive elements are created by Allah for their end. They must be perished. Their explosure started by cases of sadhvi pragya, dayanand pandey, purohit. bjp is adocating such elements bcos bjp fears of 80% Hindu votes.
IN INDIA MUSLIM ARE ALWAYS HARASS EITHER BY POLICE OR CUSTOM OFFICER OR IMMIGRATION OFFICER IN AIRPORT. I AM WORKING IN DUBAI. I STAY IN MUMBAI MUSLIM AREA . WHENEVER I GO TO MUMBAI IN AIRPORT EITHER IMMIGRATION OFFICER OR CUSTOM OFFICER JUST TRY TO HARASS ME.... SOMETIME THEY ASK SILLY QUESTION. I HAVE TO GO REGULARLY FOR MY BUSINESS TRIP TO HONGKONG, CHINA, BANGKOK FROM DUBAI....... THIS TIME WHEN I GO FOR VACATION TO MUMBAI IMMIGRATION OFFICER WAS ASKING ME WHY I ALWAYS GO TO BANGKOK....... I LOOSE MY COOL AND INFORM HIM THAT I GO THEIR TO ENJOY...... THEIR SHOULD BE SOME LIMIT FOR THEM TO HARASS THE NRI PEOPLE.
I think you should blame it on fellow muslim smugglers that every muslim is being seen with suspision....
SOME INDIAN HINDU PEOPLE HATE MUSLIM NOT BECAUSE OF OUR RELIGION, BUT THEY CAN DIGEST THE IN INDIA THEIR ARE MANY BIG BUSINESSMEN WHO ARE MUSLIM AND IT WAS MUSLIM WHO MADE TAJ MAHAL, LAL KILA , KUTUB MINAR, CHARMINAR...... WHAT THE HINDU MADE....... NOTHING....... THEY JUST TRY TO DESTORY OUR COUNTRY...... BY FIGHTING..... WE ARE FROM MAHARASTRA ....... OR WE ARE MARATHI......ANY INDIAN CAN STAY IN ANY STATE........... WHY THE GOVERMENT DONT TAKE ACTION AGAINST TERRIOST LIKE L.K. ADVANI, MODI, BAL THACKERAY....... WHO ALWAYS CREAT PROBLEM IN INDIA.
IF YOU CHECK THE HISTORY, MUSLIM ARE HONEST TO THEIR COUNTRY. IN INDIA WHATEVER MONUMENTS ARE THEIR IT IS MADE BY EITHER MUSLIM OR BRITISH.....AT THE TIME OF BRITISH RULE MUSLIM WERE LOYAL TO THEIR COUNTRY...... BUT MANY HINDU JOIN BRITISH ARMY AND TRY TO DESTROY OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. IT IS HINDU WHO CREAT THE PROBLEM IN INDIA RIGHT NOW ...........NOT MUSLIM..... BUT MUSLIM ARE ONLY BLAME............ AS TERRIOST..............
MNS has no vision for the nation. It is the party of Shivaji park area only. Muslims should stay away from the parties that has no vision.Only congress
birds of the same feather flock together
Is it a news item written by reporters or statement by spokesperson or leader of MNS? Can one hope that our news agencies or Indian express give actual news?
It has been said that 'politics finds strange bedfellows'. It is true in this case, except the question is 'who is on top?'
I like to support this movement.Particularly muslim community taking part.I am making humble request to all people come out of double standard,only vote orinted,apathy towards local people by rulling govt.Please standby Raj thakare.
Indian Muslims will support any party who would divide hindus on cast, sect, region or any other manner. They remain powerful only when Hindus are divided... No wonder why they support Raj... They should and they will support Raj - just the way they have supported Congress for dividing Hindus on Caste lines... Caste lines are fading so be the regional divide or language divide - support goes to those who make us triumphat.
Muslims are politically smarter than Hindus. While Hindus keep on fighting, Muslims are taking advantage of the infighting. Their decision to support Raj will widen the rift in Hindu samaj. At the appropriate time, they will take on Raj and finish him too. Perhaps, Hindus do not want to learn from History.
First read the full column.It says Muslims hailing from KOnkan ragion support MNS.We muslims From Konkan are also Marathi.That is the reason we want to support MNS.Dont bring communal talks on this issue.The way you have mentioned it shows the place you belong,i.e. MOdi's "addaaa" gujarat.
I support Raj's idealogy, but not his actions. Hindi is slowly killing the languages like Marati, Gujarati, Rajashtani, Kannada, Punjabi, etc. It's like a weed that is slowly getting mixed into the regional languages. My parents spoke fluent Marati but my kids speak more Hindi that Marati. They can't read or write Marati. I think the Madras people did the right thing in the 1960s by protsting Hindi to save their own languages. In 1960 Tamil Nadu proposed making Sanskrit (pure Hindu language) the national language and Hindi a regional language. However, Nehru and the Hindi belt politicians made Hindi (Sanskrit and Persian mixture) as national language. Only TN realized the impact and vehmently protested back then. Others are facing the problem now. If we don't protest Hindi's influence, our languages will become extinct. Lets Save our languages. Hindi is our national language, so we should learn Hindi is stupid. In that case everyone should play and watch Hockey instead of Cricket.
Well Said amol .. Tamil was the oldest surviving indian language with literature as old as 3000 years.. We felt that eventhough Hindi is our national language priority should be given to Mother language because India is a special country with most number official language.The leaders of that time were narrow minded then(except Tamil leaders) and India is suffering now.
I agree with you.The usage of Hindi by everyone is affecting other languages sucha as Kannada,Telugu etc.Jawaharlal Nehru is the root cause for all the ills of the nation.It is high tome we give impoprtance to our languages and not to give prominence for the widely used language of the Bollywood stars.
It is amazing to see that Prabhakar, Ravindran and amol have no common sense.Hindi is made national language on the basis of number of people speaking the language.How you guys are planing to build a nation where people are unable to communicate with each other.You have to make one language as a National Laguage which was originated in this region(You can not make English as the Main National Language). Amol you are a very ignorant father you should teach your children Marathi at home. Hindi is spoken by 40% of Indian Population, Marathi 7.45%, Tamil 6.32%,Kannada 3.91%Than how come we can make a regional language a national language which is spoken by fewer people and will be a burden for the majority hindi speaking people to learn. It is good to learn and remember your native language but it is absurd to criticize our national language.Moreover in India there is no compulsion on anyone to learn national language even than it is very sad to see such a hatred against the national language.
Muslims surely should support any party that talks about Nationalism and avoids regionalism.Konkan muslims does not resembles the entire muslim community. So the point where mumslims are supporting MNS activity is somewhat anti nation. And UP bihar not able to create job for their people is a genuine argument one can make.But that does not give licence to any body to treat those people inhumanly.Women supporting MNS coz mns helps their children for admission in schools shows their own interest.The article did not justify MNS getting MUSLIMS support as all the evidence are for their personal interest and does not resembles the support of the entire community.MY ? to RAJ is WILL HE ASK ALL THE INVESTOR the same question as to the poor NORTH INDIANS? and treat them the way he did to the north Indian if the INVESTOR dont know marathi.
Convert yourself to Muslim and get 100 percent muslim votes. You can do anything to divide the nation. Now everyone should understand why is not talking against the Don's of Mumbai who is taking money from Mumbai and investing in Arab conntries.
Raj thackery/bal-uday thackery's, known as street goons,looters,liars,killers,bombblasters, then more to say,blackmailing N Indians, collecting hafta from the liquor barnsbusiness houses,brothels,taxi walas, how and why the people of india, media shoulddiscard/ignore of any of their outbursts.More the media cover, more and more they aregetting popularity.GOONDA RAJ BOMBAY MEIN CHAL RAHA HAI, LIVE FOR A WHILEdisappear in minutes, if nature god, bring dishonor to the criminals.Most of the goons families starving, not getting a drop ofdrinking water, of milk fortheir unwed born tiny tots, and the others will be fall very soon.PRAY TO ALMIGHTYTEACH THESE GOONS A LESSON, BREAK THEIR LEGS, DISFIGURE THEIR FACES,BLIND THESE GOONS RIGHT AWAY...
policy of recruitment needs review
All this according the MNS , slack journalism. Anyway the Muslims would be wise to agree in public otherwise they fear they end up in the same way as the Muslims in Gujrat in 2002. hindu terrorism must be fought against, by ALL Indians.
can somebody take supari for raj...stop scrwing whats left of bombay
The basis of the support cannot be appreciated at all as it is only a regional isolation which is been sought, either by MNS or by supporting Muslims. The region based politics would only result in disintegration of the nation as a whole and gives rise to smaller and smaller states, which would become extremely difficult to be controlled by the Union Governance.There is a strong reason of over crowding, but that is applicable to all metro cities and not Mumbai alone. The central leadership of the national parties should address this issue by decentralizing the cities and developing many small towns rather than focussing only on metros. However it shall not be taken as an advantage by the regional parties to establish small parties, political campaign and finally result into a demand of a separate state.The most important thing which we need to focus now is that humanitarian values need to be enhanced, peace and justice to be made available to all.
It is a very positive sign that at last Muslims have understood the politics of Congress (NCP included). SP's Muslim love is a great show off. So long as Muslim community does not give priority to educating their masses, all the hypocratic parties will exploit them. Muslims in the country have been taken for granted by the so called sympathisers. Education will play very important role in their overall development too. And if they find MNS as siutable party to voice their problems, then no harm. MNS has been receiving lot of support in the interior Maharashtra because their issues are valid in the recent times. Why can't Lallu Maya
If Raj Thackeray is made PM of India then who will be locals and outsiders ?
Every party/group is lusting for power. Raj Thackerey said he wants to be fair to all Mumbaikars irrespect of caste