A Shiv Sena activist attacks an examinee in Navi Mumbai. (PTI)

Mumbai, Oct. 19: Raj Thackeray’s army of rioters today attacked 13 railway board exam centres in Mumbai’s suburbs and chased away candidates from north India as part of a campaign against outsiders, triggering an angry reaction from Lalu Prasad.

“The attackers even tried to tear exam papers and hall tickets of some of the candidates at Nerul in Navi Mumbai,” Central Railway spokesperson S. Sharma said.

Railway minister Lalu Prasad called Thackeray a “mental case” and demanded a ban on his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, which believes locals have the first right to jobs in the state and was protesting “inadequate representation of Maharashtrians in the exam”.

Thackeray, who had assumed the role of messiah of the jobless when he took up cudgels for the sacked Jet Airways staff, justified the rampage and accused the railways of advertising the exam in newspapers not easily accessible to Maharashtrians.

Jet employees, who must have felt blessed when they got back their jobs on Thursday, were left pondering about the arms they had readily thrown themselves into in need.

Ragini Damle (name changed), a Maharashtrian, said: “When we went to meet Raj Thackeray after our job loss, many of our colleagues from other states were apprehensive whether he would help them…. But his taking up cudgels on behalf of everyone changed people’s views about him,” the Jet probationer said.

“It seems now he took up our case to gain political points at the national level. Otherwise, what can explain his stand today which is the opposite of last week’s?”

Her colleague Spandan Sharma (name changed) said: “All this north Indian bashing did not matter to me till we were suddenly left holding a termination letter for no fault of ours.... Suddenly I and my friends feel an empathy for these north Indian job- seekers. We are all young people hoping to work hard and looking for an opportunity.”

Sharma might not know it but he was echoing Andre Gide. “Are you then unable to recognise unless it has the same sound as yours?” the French author and Nobel laureate had famously asked.

The MNS allegedly first attacked the examinees at Thane station, where many were resting last night. Police denied the report but arrested 30 MNS activists by evening.

Patna flight on hold

Jet decided to suspend its late evening Patna-Delhi flight, but denied this had anything to do with the MNS attacks or the protests against them in Bihar. “It is a logical decision following the Jet-Kingfisher alliance,” a Jet official said, pointing out that Kingfisher Red was operating on the route.