"I am a Maratha and my family has a glorious history of 350 years but we never divided the country on the lines of caste and creed because we believe that we are Indians first, then our caste is of any importance and then our religion," the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry told reporters here.

"Despite being a Maratha, my family never indulged in separatist ideology because we believe in a united India," he said.

"On the name of saving Marathi sanctity, Shiv Sena tried to divide people on these lines and now MNS has taken the job. Now even Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is saying that locals should be given job in the state," he alleged.

When asked that why the state government led by Congress has not taken action against Shiv Sena and MNS, he said that media should also come together with the government to deal with these issues sternly.