The BJP-Shiv Sena combine’s election promise “to put in place a permanent, official system to control the influx into Mumbai which is putting pressure on its civic infrastructure” and vowing “strict implementation of 80 per cent jobs in state for skilled and unskilled local unemployed” has been slammed by their alliance partner, the JD(U), which says this goes against the grain of the Constitution.

The reaction has been particularly severe in Bihar, with many BJP leaders too joining its alliance partner in slamming the Maharashtra move. The two parties run an alliance government in the state that is known for sending a large number of employment-seekers to Mumbai among other places.

While north Indians, mainly from UP and Bihar, have been routinely targeted in recent years, especially over employment opportunities and other competitive examinations like the ones conducted by the Railways, parties like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena of Raj Thackeray have promised to introduce a permit system to control their entry. The BJP-Shiv Sena also came out with its own vachannama “promising to control the influx into Mumbai”.

While JD(U) president Sharad Yadav called the move “unconstitutional”, Bihar JD(U) chief Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’ said: “This goes against the fundamentals of our Constitution. Mumbai is not just a state capital; it’s also the economic capital of the country. What would happen if various states were to similarly demand banks and financial institutions for their respective states instead of treating Mumbai as the city for their financial needs?”

This contention was also supported by BJP leaders from the state, like Bihar Health Minister Nand Kishore Yadav and Madhubani MP Hukum Deo Narayan Yadav. They argued that “any move to restrict movement of Indians from one state to another cannot be justified”.

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