Living up to its antics again, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s activists beat up scores of north Indian aspirants appearing for the Railway Recruitment Board entrance exam for the Western region, in Mumbai on Sunday.

They created a rumpus outside examination centres, blocked roads and shouted anti-north Indian slogans. They demanded the recruitment of Marathi people.

“When there is availability here why should people from outside be called?” said MNS general secretary Nitin Sardesai. “They come here and are living on the platforms.”

Vice President, MNS Student's Wing Ashish Jadhav said that Raj Thackeray has demanded 80 per cent reservation for Maharashtrians. If that doesn't happen they will protest.

And protest they did, with the MNS activists pelting stones and injuring a few candidates at exam centers across suburbs like Borivli, Dombivali, Bhandup, Kalyan and in Sion in central Mumbai.

“This will not be tolerated. If the Railway authorities had informed us beforehand we would have taken necessary action,” said Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

In the meantime, the blatant display of territorialisation by MNS continues.