Thaindian News

Mumbai, Sep 18 (IANS) Expressing full support to FDI in retail, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray Tuesday demanded that local people must be given employment by MNCs opening shop here.

“We are fully with the policy (FDI in retail), as it will create employment opportunities for the people. But, the MNCs must give jobs to locals,” Thackeray told media persons here.

He warned that the MNS would not permit the MNCs and retail giants to give jobs to migrants under any circumstances “otherwise, they will have to bear the consequences”.

The MNS chief also attacked the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for calling a nationwide shutdown Thursday on grounds that it clashed with the 10-day Ganeshotsav festival starting all over Maharashtra the same day.

“When it was well known that the one and half day Ganpati immersion celebrations are due Thursday, what was the need to call for the nationwide shutdown that day,” Thackeray demanded.

The MNS and Shiv Sena - the latter a constituent of the NDA - have excused themselves from joining the shutdown as it will hit the Ganeshotsav celebrations in the state.

However, both parties have strongly opposed the recent hike in prices of diesel and cooking gas which, they said, will hit the common man hard.

Home Minister R.R. Patil last night appealed to the NDA constituents in the state not to enforce shutdown in the state in view of the state’s biggest festival starting Thursday.

“They can submit memorandum of their demands to district collectorates or other government offices and express their opposition in a democratic manner instead of enforcing shutdown,” he said.