Raj Thackeray's arrest welcomed in Bihar

Hundreds of people, particularly students and youths, welcomed the arrest of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and celebrated Diwali in Patna and across Bihar on Tuesday morning by distributing sweets and bursting crackers.

The news of Raj Thackeray's arrest has come as a big relief to all political parties, including the ruling Janata Dal-United, Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress, the Left parties and others, who had demanded police action against him.

Raj Thackeray was arrested at Ratnagiri district in the wee hours of Tuesday for Sunday's brutal attack on north Indian railway exam candidates by MNS workers.

"We have distributed sweets and are bursting crackers to celebrate the arrest of Raj Thackeray," Aftab Alam Ansari, a student of Patna University, said.

Asish Kumar Singh, another student, said the arrest of Raj Thackeray has proved that the rule of law exists in the coutry. "Raj Thackeray should be punished for instigating violence against Hindi-speaking north Indians," Singh said.

Many people, including businessmen, government employees, students and small-time politicians, joined Singh in the celebrations. They shouted slogans against Raj Thackeray.

Unlike on Monday, a large number of people took to the streets to celebrate the news of Raj Thackeray's arrest in different towns across Bihar.

The Advocates Association of the High Court, Patna, demanded prosecution of Raj Thackeray under Section 153 A, 295 and other relevent sections of IPC on the charge of treason.

Earlier, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanded stern action against Raj Thackeray. Nitish said that the Centre should not be a mute spectator and take stern action to check such violent attack on Biharis in Mumbai.

Nitish Kumar also said that he would talk to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard as the Maharashtra government had totally failed to check the violent activities of divisive forces in Maharashtra and that the Centre should issue a directive to Maharashtra government.