Mumbai, Oct 31: Softened his stand on celebration of ''Chhat'' puja in Maharashtra, MNS chief Raj Thackery today said that he was not opposed to the festival being celebrated in the State but warned against it being used as a show of political strength.

"I have never opposed ‘Chhat’ puja but only spoke against political stunt associated with it.... People from Bihar who live here can perform the religious rituals according to their customs. My party has never opposed it," he said while addressing a press conference.

Nanded (Maharashtra) Oct 30 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today said that national unity and integrity is under threat from "divisive" forces and terrorism, which needed to be combated collectively.

Addressing a function at Nanded while participating in Tri-centenary celebrations of Guru Granth Saheb, he said there are forces who want people to fight among themselves.

Nanded (Maharashtra), Oct 30 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said that adequate measures have been taken to ensure law and order in Maharashtra which has witnessed attacks against North Indians.

Talking to reporters here Deshmukh said, "The situation in the state is under total control and adequate measures have been taken to ensure law and order."

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had on Tuesday spoken to Deshmukh and expressed hope that the State Government would act to check the violence.

Mumbai, Oct 30 : Five persons were arrested in connection with the murder of a migrant youth, belonging to Uttar Pradesh''s Gorakhpur district, by miscreants on a local train in Maharashtra on Tuesday.

Government Railway Police (GRP) commissioner A K Sharma said, "We questioned many people yesterday and based on information and eyewitness accounts, five persons have been arrested today."

They are likely to be produced in a court later today.

On Wednesday, the GRP, which takes orders from the railway ministry, detained 20 people.

Nanded (Maharashtra), Oct 30 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will attend the main function of Guru-ta-Gaddi tercentenary celebrations here today.

Union Minister for Cultural Affairs Ambika Soni, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister R. R. Patil will also present on the occasion.

The Prime Minister will also release a book ''Guru Maniyo''.

The occasion is being marked to celebrate the 300 years of declaration of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs, as the perpetual Guru in 1708 by Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th master of Sikhs.