Mumbai, July 18 (IANS) For the second time in five days, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray Monday targeted north Indians and the migrant population and demanded a check on their influx into Mumbai.
"People from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are involved in nearly 70-80 percent of all crimes committed in the city," Raj Thackeray alleged at a press conference here. Daily 48 trains come here from those two states alone, he added.
From the security point of view, he demanded that the authorities should pay attention to the migrants' influx in Mumbai and adjacent Thane district.
The MNS chief also lashed out at state Samajwadi Party chief Abu Asim Azmi for expressing sympathy with the 13/7 triple blast suspect, Faiz Usmani, who died in hospital Sunday owing to medical complications.
"What is wrong if the police investigated Usmani, who had met a terrorist in jail several times? Why does Azmi always support people with criminal backgrounds?" asked Raj Thackeray.
If terrorism has to be stopped in Mumbai, it was imperative to monitor the people coming to the city from outside, he said, adding that if Azmi continues to sympathise with such elements, then the state government should also inquire against him.
Reacting sharply, Azmi demanded action against the MNS chief for painting all people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with the same brush.
"In case anybody is found involved in any crime or guilty, then police and government must punish them. But without any evidence, it is not right on the part of Raj Thackeray to brand all people from UP-Bihar as criminals and spoil their image," he said.
A day after the triple blasts in Mumbai last Wednesday, Thackeray had blamed the north Indians and migrant population for the terror attack which left 19 dead and 129 injured so far.