Pragya Singh Thakur is national president of Vande Matram organisation and was arrested in connection with Malegaon Blasts.

Deshmukh, however, cleared that protest against the arrest of Sadhvi was their (parties) role.

Speaking on Marathi signboard issue, strongly raised by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Shiv Sena, he said there is a law making it compulsory to have signboards in Marathi along with other languages and give priority to locals. However, these laws were not implemented properly, he added.

When asked about the possibility of conducting competitive examinations in the state following attack on north Indian students by MNS during railway recruitment examinations, he said such things will not take place again.

He said 19 percent locals had also applied for the same railway recruitment examination, adding that the government was considering to give powers to district collectors to monitor employment opportunities and give top priority to local candidates.

Replying to a question on JNRPT sceheme, he said state has sent its proposals to the centre and demanded Rs 50,000 crore for Mumbai and other cities for the developmental schemes.

On state Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil’s statement that, 'We will reply bullet to bullet', Deshmukh said that Patil’s statement was in the context of naxalite activities in the state but meanwhile, a North Indian youth was killed in police encounter in Mumbai while he was trying to take over a BEST bus, and Patil’s statement was attributed to the incident.

Later Patil clarified his stand, he added.

“There was no security in Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi when it was attacked and I and Union Home Minister were in Nanded at that time,” Deshmukh said on the issue.

Deshmukh, in a public meeting on Wednesday in Nashik, assured farmers of the state of loan waiver.