Attack on Azmi condemned by Bihar politicians

Patna, Nov 9: The attack on Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Asim Azmi inside the Maharashtra assembly Monday for taking the legislator's oath in Hindi drew widespread condemnation in Bihar, including from politicians Lalu Prasad, Ram Vilas Paswan and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said: "It is shocking how an elected legislator was attacked inside the assembly for taking his oath in Hindi. It should be condemned by one and all."

Azmi was slapped and pushed by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) legislators inside the house for defying the party diktat to take the oath only in Marathi.

Condemning the incident, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan demanded stern action against MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his legislators.

"Raj Thackeray should be arrested and put behind bars for instigating and ordering party legislators to attack Azmi to stop him from taking oath in Hindi," Lalu Prasad said.

Former central minister Paswan said: "The MNS legislators have not only insulted Hindi, our national language, but attacked our constitutional rights."

Paswan said the MNS legislators should be expelled for their act.

A college student, Shruti Singh said that MNS legislators have challenged the cultural diversity and integrity of the country by attacking Azmi. "They tried to hijack fundamental rights," she said.

"People across India must stand up to protest against such acts to protect our fundamental right to speak any language, live and work in any place in India," Rajeshwar Sinha, a government official, said.