Paswan's visit at his own risk, warns Thackeray

Tuesday, August 5 1997

Paswan's visit at his own risk, warns Thackeray

ENS & AGENCIES

MUMBAI, Aug 4: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray today deferred the ``ban'' on the entry of Railway Minister Ram Vilas Paswan in Maharashtra till August 15 on grounds of ``patience and patriotism''. In a statement issued here today, Thackeray ridiculed the Samajwadi Party and Janata Dal for inviting Paswan to Mumbai on August 8 adding that if Paswan insisted on coming to the State with the backing of the two parties, it would be at his own risk.

He said he was restraining himself as August 9 and 15 will be celebrated on a massive scale. As the country completes 50 years of freedom, many programmes will be held on those days and he did not want any disturbances in the city, which would allow political opponents to rake up controversies marring the reputation of the government and Shiv Sainiks.

He further stated that presently the Konkan railway starts from Kurla and the Shiv Sena had demanded that it should start from Dadar. Chief Minister Manohar Joshi had conveyed this to the Railway Minister who had agreed to the demand. But, later he flatly refused. ``It was then that I decided to reply in my style and banned his entry into the State''. However, the Samajwadi Party and Janata Dal have decided to bring him to Mumbai on August 8. Thackeray warned his opponents not to mistake his ``patience'' for ``foolishness''.

Meanwhile, the reported warning rocked the Lok Sabha today with the CPI-M and Congress members denouncing the threat. The issue generated heat during zero hour with the non-BJP-Shiv Sena members condemning the statement and the BJP-Shiv Sena members defending it as part of a protest action to get their demand fulfilled by the railways.

Raising the issue, CPI-M leader Somnath Chatterjee said such a threat was something unheard of. This set off angry exchanges between the two sides with BJP members Ram Naik and Pramod Mahajan criticising the CPI-M and Congress for making too much fuss over a political statement. At the end of 50-minutes of noisy scenes, Paswan said whatever he can do in the matter, he will do but he would not be bullied by any threat.