Congress activists protest against MP CM’s anti-Bihar remark - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Congress party activists staged a protest against Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ’s anti Bihar remark here on Saturday. Chouhan had recently stated that migrant labourers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh would not be welcomed to work in Madhya Pradesh . Frenzied protestors torched effigies of Chouhan and demanded sacking of Madhya Pradesh government. “He doesn't know that a citizen of India can reside and work anywhere in India . His statement hurt us, it is an insult to Bihari people. Since the insult of any citizen of a particular state is the insult of the entire country so we urge our leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to take a strong note of it. We demand that the Congress party must direct the Prime Minister to sack Madhya Pradesh government," said Binod Sharma , a protestor. In his address at a rally, Chouhan had said: "This should not happen that plants be established in Satna and people from Bihar get the jobs. We will not allow this." After kicking up a political furore, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader quickly retracted. Experts say Chouhan could be trying to play the anti-immigrant card in a bid to woo voters in the upcoming civic body elections after the party's stock went down in the April-May general elections, winning only 16 constituencies as against 25 seats in 2004. Last year, a similar anti-immigrant statement by regional Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led to large-scale violence in Mumbai and Patna . Thackeray has allegedly said that the traditional festival of ‘ Chhat Puja ’ was a ‘drama’. In February, the Supreme Court had stayed a non-bailable warrant against the MNS chief for his hate speech against north Indians.