Now R R Patil must go, says Raj Thackeray

Welcoming the transfer of Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik following the August 11 violence in south Mumbai, MNS president Raj Thackeray on Thursday again demanded resignation of Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil, who he said was "ignorant" about his department.

"People are angry with the way police handled August 11 situation (when protesters gathered to condemn Assam violence attacked police and media). In future, there should be no mismanagement of such a situation by police. I do not consider Patnaik's transfer as my victory, as I have no personal enmity with him. Now the minister (Patil), who is ignorant of his portfolio, should step down," Thackeray said at a press conference.

"Police have learnt their lesson. Now the minister should get wise," he commented. MNS had organised a huge rally to protest August 11 events earlier this week, where Raj had sought ouster of both Patil and Patnaik.

Asked about Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna's support to MNS rally, and Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray's statement hailing it, Raj said, "More than who says what, it is important to bring a collective pressure, forgetting all differences, to tackle such a situation."

Raj reiterated that trouble in Mumbai was fomented by illegal Bangladeshi migrants. "A Muslim who lives in Maharashtra will not attack the police here," he added. On RPI's protest against his remark on its obsession with Indu mill land for memorial of Dr Ambedkar, the MNS leader said the RPI leadership had not paid any attention to the burning issues such as drought and scarcity of water in the state, and its actions were in contrast with the thoughts of Dr Ambedkar.

"RPI leaders are only deriving political mileage using Dr Ambedkar's name, without dealing with the problems faced by the people," he said.