At the heart of this debate is whether North Indians can work and earn their livelihood in Mumbai. Raj Thackeray says there are too many migrants and wants Mumbai for Maharashtrians only. In a news conference held exclusively with Maratha scribes, Mr Thackeray said Hindi journalists were bhaiyya scribes and that they were biased and not sticking to journalistic principles.

He did not appear to be contrite over the happenings of this past week when MNS activists allegedly attacked the house of Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan although Mumbai police denied there was such an incident.

Raj Thackeray singled out people from UP and Bihar residing in Mumbai and said these people were "snatching" Marathi people’s livelihood.  Referring to the Bachchan controversy, he said, “When Amitabh Bachchan can love his place of birth (Uttar Pradesh), why can’t I?"

Meanwhile in a blow to his stand some 200 activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have shifted their allegiance back to the Shiv Sena saying they did not support his remarks on North Indians.

Mr Thackeray has also written a special article in the Marathi daily Maharashtra Times defending his policy. In the article called "Majhi bhumika, majha ladha" (My stand, my struggle) he said, "At this juncture I feel like asking the Maharashtrian people that if I am voicing your true emotion, then why are you sitting on the fence. Come join me in this struggle."
 

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