Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, she also demanded that the Election Commission should ban the organisation with immediate effect. This comes after MNS chief Raj Thackeray was arrested earlier in the day.

“Several groups are angry and seeking retaliation against the unconstitutional activities of the MNS. It may cause a violent unrest at several places. This will be unfortunate for the country and the Congress will be held responsible for this,” Mayawati said. The adverse impact of what north Indians are facing will not even spare Maharashtrians, she added.

The chief minister termed the action taken against MNS by the Congress government in Maharashtra as “mere formality”. “North Indians, who have gone to Maharashtra to earn their livelihood, are being harassed by the MNS for last one year. But the Congress government remained in a slumber. Now, when the Lok Sabha elections are round the corner, the party woke up and in a jiffy arrested the MNS leader,” said Mayawati.