MNS chief Raj Thackeray warns befitting reply to rallies against CAA and NRC
Mumbai, Feb 9: Launching himself as the new entrant in the Hindutva space, MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday extended his support to the new citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens even as he demanded eviction of illegal Pakistani and Bangladeshi "infiltrators" from India.
Addressing a gathering of thousands of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists here, Thackeray warned of a "befitting reply" to rallies being held against the CAA and the NRC, and said "a morcha will be answered with a morcha, a stone with a stone and a sword with a sword".
In the afternoon, the MNS took out a huge march from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan in south Mumbai demanding eviction of illegal Pakistani and Bangladeshi infiltrators.
The morcha was culminated at Azad Maidan.
After starting from his home in Dadar's Shivaji Park, Thackeray, wearing a saffron armband, visited famous Siddhivinayak temple in Prabhadevi, accompanied by his wife Sharmila and son Amit.
He joined the "mahamorcha" (mega march) on foot from Hindu Gymkhana and walked till Metro Junction, which is about one km apart, before asked by police officers to travel further in his car because of a huge crowd.
Addressing the gathering at Azad Maidan, the MNS chief said, "Today, anti-CAA and anti-NRC protests were given a befitting reply with this protest rally of the MNS. But let me warn you, next time morchas will be answered with morchas. And if you continue with your drama, stones will be answered with stones and swords with swords".
Thackeray, who had ran a vigorous campaign against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha polls last year, had earlier defended the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Speaking at the rally, Thackeray wondered "opposition" by Muslims to the CAA and the NRC.
"I don't understand why Muslims are protesting against the CAA and the NRC. Who was going to evict those who are living in India since their birth?" he asked.
"...To whom are you (anti-CAA and anti-NRC protesters) trying to show your power, and why?" he said.
Thackeray blamed the ongoing protests against the CAA and the NRC on the "lack of proper understanding" of the issues.
"The CAA gives citizenship to those Hindus who have faced religious atrocities in neighbouring countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and migrated to India)," he said.
"..Do these people (illegal immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh) consider my county a 'dharmashala' (charity shelter)?" Thackeray questioned while speaking on the NRC.
He also wondered whether the Union government enacted the CAA and has proposed the NRC as a "ploy to divert the attention of people from the poor financial situation prevailing in the country".
He demanded "strict" implementation of the CAA and the NRC across the country.
In his speech, Thackeray appealed to the Central government to give a "free hand to the police for 48 hours to evict infiltrators from Mumbai, as it is useless to ask the state government".
"The issue of infiltrators is as important as that of drinking water, education and health. Pakistani and Bangaladeshi infiltrators should be thrown out from the country, and there shouldn't be any compromise on the issue," he told the gathering.
Apart from illegal Bangladeshi and Pakistani residents, a large number of Nigerians are also staying in Mira-Bhayandar region near Mumbai, where police also cannot enter their colonies, he said.
Knowing well that his push for the CAA and NRC might create a perception that he was trying to mend fences with the BJP, the MNS chief said, "These days, those who criticise the Union government are being labelled as anti-BJP and those praise it as BJP supporters. Isn't there any middle path?"
The MNS' Hindutva push came nearly two months after the Shiv Sena joined hands with the NCP and Congress to form a government in Maharashtra.
In early January, the MNS president met with former Maharashtra chief minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.
Days after, he replaced the old striped flag of the MNS and relaunched it in a new saffron avatar with the royal seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Interestingly, eviction of illegal infiltrators has been a stated position of the Bharatiya Janata Party with which the MNS chief has had a love-and-hate relationship, since he turned into a Modi-baiter from being a supporter.
Throughout the day on Sunday, police maintained a strict vigil along the route of the march which was joined by MNS activists from Mumbai, its metropolitan region, and other parts of Maharashtra.
On the Azad Maidan dais, the MNS displayed photographs of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Dr Babasaheb Ambedakar, Savitribai Phule, and Thackeray's grandfather late Prabodhankar Thackeray.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
