Mumbai: Lashing out at "Shiv sainiks" act of queering the Agra pitch ahead of the Indo-Pak veterans' cricket match, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav today (Dec 20, 2003) said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee should "rein in" perpetrators of such "disgusting act".

"At a time when efforts are being made to improve the Indo-Pak relations, such disgusting acts are being carried out to garner cheap publicity," Yadav told reporters in his inimitable style at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai.

He also came down heavily on Shiv Sena's agitation against North Indians in Mumbai and stressed the need to control such tendencies by invoking stringent provisions of Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA).

"If such rowdism, hooliganism is not reined in, then they will break the country by fomenting regional feelings," he warned, saying the country does not belong to a particular organisation.

"We will not tolerate this. The constitution has provided us the right to go and work anywhere in the country," Yadav said adding, "By this logic, films made by Bollywood should be released only in Maharashtra instead of the whole nation."

Blaming the Centre for the situation, he said despite Prime Minister's assurance, the Government could not generate one crore jobs every year leading to attacks on Biharis in Assam and Maharashtra.

On the Indo-Pak relations, Yadav welcomed Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's reported willingness to offer alternatives to his country's life-long demand for a plebiscite in Kashmir.

"India should utilise this opportunity to improve bilateral ties," he said.

Advocating the need for improving relations between both the nations, he said rail and air links should be restored as soon as possible.

Commenting on the resuming sporting ties, he said, "Sports and sportspersons do not belong to any particular caste or community."

The RJD supremo, who had come to Maharashtra to participate in "Maha Expo 2003", held at Aurangabad last week, had a breakfast meeting with Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde at latter's official residence in south Mumbai this morning.

PTI