Mumbai: Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today (Dec 9, 2003) threatened that his party is prepared to give a "befitting reply" to those challenging Shivsainiks over the saffron party's on-going stir to secure reservation of jobs for the local youth.

"Shivsainiks are prepared to resort to a tit-for-tat policy. Do not compel us to adopt it, that will cost you dearly," Thackeray said in the party mouth-piece 'Saamna' in Mumbai.

Thackeray's hard-hitting response came when Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders, during a rally in the metropolis on Sunday (Dec 7), had threatened to "break the hand" that is raised against people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. SP leaders Amar Singh and Abu Asim Azmi were sharply reacting to the Sena's stir against North Indians over the issue of job reservation.

The Sena chief challenged SP leaders to hold a similar rally in Assam, where Bihari's have been killed, over the same issue.

Stating that Sena's agitation is confined to jobs for sons-of-the soil, the Sena patriarch clarified that it is not against 'UPites' or 'Biharis', residing in Mumbai.

"The right to job has been provided by the Constitution and formation of States on linguistic basis," he reasoned.

PTI