Mumbai, Jan 2 (PTI) The Marathi Abhyas Kendra on Friday demanded that the Congress withdraw its separate manifesto for north Indians for the January 15 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections and threatened
to burn copies of the document if the party failed to do so.
Addressing a press conference at Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh, Marathi Abhyas Kendra president Deepak Pawar said the Congress' move amounted to "appeasement of non-Marathi groups" and would not be tolerated.
At the event, the organisation released its own document titled Marathinama, which focuses on giving priority to Marathi candidates, protection of Marathi-medium schools and preservation of Marathi language and culture.
The Congress last month announced key points from its manifesto ahead of the Mumbai civic polls. It promised measures ranging from permanent immersion ponds for Chhath Puja to protection of the dignity and livelihood of north Indians, as well as a transparent hawker policy.
Speaking to reporters, Pawar claimed migration to Maharashtra was driven by economic distress, unemployment and insecurity in other states, but many migrants refuse to learn Marathi despite benefiting from the state's natural, political and cultural resources.
He said political parties like the Congress issuing separate manifestos for specific linguistic or regional groups reflected "arrogance" and would face resistance.
He also announced that an online campaign would be launched to mobilise public support for the Marathinama, adding that the document would be submitted to all political parties.
Pawar further claimed Marathi leaders who indulge in appeasement of North Indian, Gujarati and Marwadi communities pose a threat to Maharashtra's interests, adding that increasing political influence of non-Marathi groups could marginalise the Marathi-speaking population.
On the issue of declining Marathi-medium schools, Pawar said responsibility lay with Marathi society itself rather than migrants.
He criticised Marathi parents for opting for English-medium schools and extending patronage to non-local builders and industrialists.
In a separate statement, the Marathi Abhyas Kendra appealed to the Shiv Sena (UBT) to reconsider and withdraw its Mumbai Public School policy, claiming it was detrimental to Marathi schools.
The organisation also demanded the formation of an official language committee in the BMC on the lines of the state legislature's Rajbhasha Samiti. PTI MR BNM
