FIR filed against Raj Thackeray for provocative speech

AURANGABAD/MUMBAI: Two days after he addressed a mega rally in Aurangabad, police on Tuesday registered an offence against MNS chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly making a provocative speech, among other charges.
Reacting to the FIR, party leader Sandeep Deshpande said if Raj Thackeray is arrested, then they must also be prepared for street struggle. He said MNS workers will follow Thackeray’s ultimatum to remove loudspeakers from mosques and there is no change in their stand.
Thackeray will not be arrested immediately in this case though. “We have registered criminal cases against him under bailable sections. Since the investigation is still in progress, there is no need to arrest him immediately. Certainly, whether to arrest Raj Thackeray or otherwise, will be a political call,” a senior IPS officer told TOI.

City Chowk police in Aurangabad have booked Thackeray along with rally organiser Rajeev Jawalikar and others under the Indian Penal Code sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 116 (abetment) and 117 (whoever abets the commission of an offence by the public generally or by any number or class of persons exceeding 10) along with the Section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act (violation of prohibitory orders).
Maharashtra police on Tuesday took preventive action against 15,000 people, including key MNS functionaries across the state. The state government on Tuesday also warned of strict action against those violating the law. Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth warned the public to not take law into their own hands and cause communal rift. “The leaves of all police personnel have been cancelled and additional force deployed to avoid any untoward incidents,” said Seth, appealing to the public to maintain peace in the state.
Thackeray, in his recent rally in Aurangabad, had threatened to play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques from May 4 if the loudspeakers on them are not taken down.
In an FIR registered, City Chowk police said that offence has been registered against Thackeray and others after scrutinising CCTV footage and video recording of the rally. The ultimatum given by the MNS chief to remove loudspeakers from mosques and his related comments were found objectionable by the police, the FIR said. Further investigation into the case would be carried out by police inspector Ashok Giri, a statement issued by the Aurangabad city police has said.
Reacting to this development, Jawalikar, who heads the student wing of the MNS, said it was a matter of pride for him to become an accused in the case that also involves Raj Thackeray.
“The police are acting under pressure from the government. We will come out of all these charges unscathed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Aurangabad MP Imtiaz Jaleel has alleged that police have leveled “mild charges” against Thackeray.
“Since he is the cousin of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Raj Thackeray is getting a lenient treatment,” he said, comparing the action against MNS chief with MP Nanveet and MLA Ravi Rana who are facing sedition charges for allegedly trying to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside the CM’s home.
Earlier in the day, city police issued a notice to MNS Aurangabad district president Summet Khambedkar and some other local party leaders under section 149 of the CrPC (dealing with preventing cognisable offences).