Local groups offer salve to N Indians

Tanaji Khot / TNN / Feb 18, 2008, 04:06 IST

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At a time when the north Indians are at the receiving end after the vitriolic attack by Raj Thackeray, some organisations here have embarked on a mission to apply balm on migrants' wounds.

Pune: At a time when the north Indians are at the receiving end after the vitriolic attack by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, some organisations here, working for porters, construction workers and casual labourers, have embarked on a mission to apply balm on migrants�� wounds.
At a meeting at the S M Joshi Socialist Foundation on Sunday, these organisations set up a National Integration Committee (NIC), and charted out an action plan as a confidence-building measure among the migrants in the city.
The MNS-instigated violence resulted in exodus of a large number of migrants, who form a big part of the labour supply to the construction industry, casual labour and utility works in the city. The violence has left an indelible scar on the community, prompting the local organisations to take some mitigating action.
The NIC passed a resolution condemning the MNS agitation and appealed to the migrants against leaving the city.

As per the action plan, prominent leaders including Vanarai founder-chief Mohan Dharia, Hamal Panchayat leader Baba Adhav, Nitin Pawar (Bandhkaam Mazdoor Sabha) and Kishore Pawar (Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti) will lead the initiative by addressing awareness rallies and involving north Indians in local festivals.
The plan also envisages involvement of North Indians in the forthcoming birth anniversary celebrations of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. ��Migrants would participate in the celebrations being organised by the Hamal Panchayat at the Timber Market area on February 19,�� said Baba Adhav. ��The idea is to send a strong signal to those who believe that north Indians cannot blend with Maharashtrian culture.��
A day-long fast in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Pune railway station has been organised on February 21 to create awareness and prevent migrants from leaving the city.
Moreover, NIC members will visit the localities dominated by north Indians and convince them on the safety factor. Meanwhile, Dharia blamed the successive governments at the Centre as well as the state for the situation in the country where rural-to-urban migration is occurring on a large scale.
Apart from Dharia, who heads the NIC, other prominent members present were city Congress chief Abhay Chhajed, leftist leader Ajit Abhyankar and Yuvak Kranti Dal leader Gopal Gunale.

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