Sunday, November 02, 2008

NCP joins Raj campaign, talks about 'redrawing of balance'-India-The Times of India

NCP joins Raj campaign, talks about 'redrawing of balance'-India-The Times of India

The irony being that Praful Patel is an industrialist who seems to run the Rs 500 crore CeeJay group. A few questions that come to my mind. Does his group only employ Maharashtrians? Do his industries sell their products only within Maharashtra?
Asked whether there was a need for redrawing of balance between Maharashtrians and non-Maharashtrians in the state, Patel said "if you do not do that, sooner or later you will not need a Raj Thackeray to do that, the people themselves will do it."
The people may choose to do it, but not via violent means or use of force on migrants. Not even via legislation that forces migrants to leave. Of course, Maharashtrians are well withing their rights to choose to not to employ any non-Maharashtrians, not to avail of any services offered by non-Maharashtrians, not to trade with any non-Maharashtrians living in Maharashtra and etc.

Also, it may be true that people from Bihar migrate to Maharashtra because of lack of opportunities in Bihar or in search of better opportunities in Maharashtra. That they end up getting a certain opportunity in Maharashtra instead of other Maharashtrians must be of some benefit to the state of Maharashtra. Else why would the people from Bihar get the opportunity? Does the Maha Govt. have opportunities reserved for the people of Bihar?

Also, in general all opportunities cannot exist in all places. It is also understandable that opportunities and the best people for them may not exist at the same place.
Patel, whose party is a major partner in the Congress-led Maharashtra government, saw nothing wrong in party leader Chhagan Bhujbal's advocacy of "sons of the soil" slogan. He also asked non-Maharashtrians to respect the sentiments and culture of the state.
Respect the culture of the state? Will Patel and Raj respect human life and every individual's right to opportunity?

Ironically enough, the party to which Patel belongs is the NCP, the Nationalist Congress Party.

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