'Take oath in Marathi', warns Raj to all legislators

Mumbai, Nov 2 : Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray today virtually issued a warning to all the newly elected legislators to take oath only in Marathi.

The warning came a couple of days after the MNS' rival Samajwadi Party state unit president and newly-elected MLA Abu Asim Azmi demanded for the replacement of English with Hindi for the House agenda, as he was not fluent in Marathi.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Thackeray, who champions the cause of Marathi people, said 'All the legislators must take oath only in Marathi, otherwise my 13 legislators will show what they will do.' 'In Karnataka, a BJP Minister had to resign as he did not know Kannada and the same rule should be followed here and all the parties should be together on this issue,' he said.

Mr Thackeray criticised the Congress and NCP for delaying the formation of the government over sharing of portfolios and hoped that they would sort out the issue soon.

Objecting to organising the 'padyapooja' of Satya Saibaba at the official residence of Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, the MNS chief said such events should not be held at the official residences of the Ministers, otherwise the government residences would turn into the venues for holding religious events.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
Unauthorised publication of any content from NewKerala.Com is prohibited