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Tag: Raj Thackeray

  • ‘You idiot…’: Raj Thackeray slams Rahul Gandhi over Savarkar remark

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Coming down hard on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Veer Savarkar, Maharashtra Navirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Sunday called him ‘gadha’ (idiot).

    Addressing a rally in the state on Sunday, he attacked the former Congress national president, saying, “You Idiot. What is your standing to speak on Savarkar, who was lodged in jail and went through so much pain?”

    Quoting an excerpt from a letter purportedly written by Savarkar to the British Raj, Rahul had claimed the saffron ideologue begged to be forgiven by the Empire, thereby betraying the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

    “Veer Savarkar wrote to the British saying, ‘Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant’, and signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel by signing this letter out of fear,” he had said.

    Rahul’s remarks drew a huge backlash, with a complaint being registered against Rahul at Thane Nagar police station.

    In his reponse to Rahul’s remark, Thackeray on Sunday said what Savarkar did was part of his ‘strategy’.

    “There is something called ‘strategy’. Even ‘Krishna Niti’ says that ‘Sar salamat to pagdi pachaas’. Shivaji Maharaj also gave away the forts he held to Mirza Raje. They weren’t gifts but a strategy,” the MNS chief said.

    He added that there is no point in fighting over leaders and luminaries of the past.

    “I am saying this to both BJP and the Congress. There is no point in defaming the legacy of our past leaders like Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi. There are many issues in the country like unemployment and security to fight for,” Thackeray said.

    He also advised Rahul to “get ready for the BMC polls”.

    MUMBAI: Coming down hard on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Veer Savarkar, Maharashtra Navirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Sunday called him ‘gadha’ (idiot).

    Addressing a rally in the state on Sunday, he attacked the former Congress national president, saying, “You Idiot. What is your standing to speak on Savarkar, who was lodged in jail and went through so much pain?”

    Quoting an excerpt from a letter purportedly written by Savarkar to the British Raj, Rahul had claimed the saffron ideologue begged to be forgiven by the Empire, thereby betraying the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

    “Veer Savarkar wrote to the British saying, ‘Sir, I beg to remain your most obedient servant’, and signed on it. Savarkar helped the British. He betrayed leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel by signing this letter out of fear,” he had said.

    Rahul’s remarks drew a huge backlash, with a complaint being registered against Rahul at Thane Nagar police station.

    In his reponse to Rahul’s remark, Thackeray on Sunday said what Savarkar did was part of his ‘strategy’.

    “There is something called ‘strategy’. Even ‘Krishna Niti’ says that ‘Sar salamat to pagdi pachaas’. Shivaji Maharaj also gave away the forts he held to Mirza Raje. They weren’t gifts but a strategy,” the MNS chief said.

    He added that there is no point in fighting over leaders and luminaries of the past.

    “I am saying this to both BJP and the Congress. There is no point in defaming the legacy of our past leaders like Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi. There are many issues in the country like unemployment and security to fight for,” Thackeray said.

    He also advised Rahul to “get ready for the BMC polls”.

  • Raj Thackeray supports Nupur Sharma over Prophet remark

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday supported suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her remarks against Prophet Mohammad.

    Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik had said the same thing earlier but no one asked him to apologise, Thackeray said while addressing a meeting of MNS functionaries here.

    “Nobody asked Naik for an apology,” the MNS chief said.

    Thackeray also slammed the “Owaisi brothers” (AIMIM leaders) for allegedly ridiculing the names of Hindu gods.

    No action has been taken against them, he said, using an abusive term while referring to them.

    The MNS chief also taunted his estranged cousin and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the latter’s claim that the BJP reneged on the promise of rotating the CM’s post after the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

    ““When I was in Shiv Sena, Balasaheb (Thackeray) had decided that the party having more MLAs will have the CM post,”, he said.

    “Also, during the election campaign, PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah had publicly said that Devendra Fadnavis (present Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra) will be the CM.

    “Why did you not object then instead of waiting for the poll results and going against the people’s mandate which was for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance”,” he said.

    Raj Thackeray said the late Shiv Sena founder had hugged him when he was about to leave that party.

    ““I had gone to meet Balasaheb. He knew I was not staying (in the Sena). He hugged me and said: Now you can go,” the MNS chief recalled. I want to take Balasaheb’s ideology forward. It doesn’t matter if I don’t have the symbol (bow and arrow symbol of Shiv Sena),”” he said.

    ALSO READ | BJP suspends its Telangana MLA Raja Singh arrested for alleged remarks against Prophet

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday supported suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her remarks against Prophet Mohammad.

    Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik had said the same thing earlier but no one asked him to apologise, Thackeray said while addressing a meeting of MNS functionaries here.

    “Nobody asked Naik for an apology,” the MNS chief said.

    Thackeray also slammed the “Owaisi brothers” (AIMIM leaders) for allegedly ridiculing the names of Hindu gods.

    No action has been taken against them, he said, using an abusive term while referring to them.

    The MNS chief also taunted his estranged cousin and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the latter’s claim that the BJP reneged on the promise of rotating the CM’s post after the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

    ““When I was in Shiv Sena, Balasaheb (Thackeray) had decided that the party having more MLAs will have the CM post,”, he said.

    “Also, during the election campaign, PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah had publicly said that Devendra Fadnavis (present Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra) will be the CM.

    “Why did you not object then instead of waiting for the poll results and going against the people’s mandate which was for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance”,” he said.

    Raj Thackeray said the late Shiv Sena founder had hugged him when he was about to leave that party.

    ““I had gone to meet Balasaheb. He knew I was not staying (in the Sena). He hugged me and said: Now you can go,” the MNS chief recalled. I want to take Balasaheb’s ideology forward. It doesn’t matter if I don’t have the symbol (bow and arrow symbol of Shiv Sena),”” he said.

    ALSO READ | BJP suspends its Telangana MLA Raja Singh arrested for alleged remarks against Prophet

  • ‘Journey towards one’s decline begins when good fortune is misunderstood as accomplishment’: Raj Thackeray’s dig at Uddhav

    Uddhav Thackeray quit the top post following a rebellion by senior Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and the majority of the party MLAs.

  • MNS chief Raj Thackeray hospitalised; to undergo hip surgery on June 1 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: MNS chief Raj Thackeray was on Tuesday admitted to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital where he will undergo hip a surgery on Wednesday, a party leader said.

    Earlier this month, Thackeray, 53, had said he would be undergoing a surgery for his knee and back problems.

    “He will undergo the hip surgery tomorrow,” MNS leader Nitin Sardesai said.

    Thackeray had been in the news after he recently gave an ultimatum to remove loudspeakers from mosques.

    He was also scheduled to go to Ayodhya on June 5, but he has put the plan on hold for now.

  • Raj Thackeray puts off his June 5 Ayodhya visit 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Friday announced that his visit to Ayodhya scheduled on June 5 has been put off.

    Taking to Twitter, Thackeray said his tour to the Uttar Pradesh city has been put off for the time being and that he would speak about it during his rally in Pune on May 22 morning.

    Thackeray’s tweet came amid reports that he is unwell.

    The MNS chief had recently courted a controversy after he demanded that loudspeakers atop mosques be removed or else his party workers would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside these place at a higher volume.

    Recently, BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, had opposed Thackeray’s proposed visit to Ayodhya and warned that he will not be allowed to enter the Uttar Pradesh city till he tendered a public apology for “humiliating” north Indians in the past.

  • MNS leader warns of strong reaction if Raj Thackeray is harmed

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar on Wednesday met Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil over a letter threatening Raj Thackeray, and demanded action.

    Speaking to reporters later, he said there would be repercussions across the state if the MNS chief was harmed. Mumbai Police, meanwhile, registered a case in connection with the anonymous letter.

    His office received the letter, Nandgaonkar said, adding that it was written in Hindi with a smattering of Urdu words and referred to Thackeray’s warning that the Hanuman Chalisa would be played in front of mosques if loudspeakers were continued to be used to broadcast ‘azaan’ (the Muslim call to prayer).

    “The home minister said he will talk to the police commissioner. Now they will take whatever action that is necessary. But if even the slightest harm comes to Raj Thackeray, Maharashtra will burn. The state government has to take note of this,” Nandgaonkar added.

    He had met Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pandey over the letter on Tuesday, he said.

    Nandgaonkar also said that he had been asking for security for the MNS chief and his family, but the state government was not paying heed. The Union government should look into this, he said.

    Meanwhile, a non-cognisable offence was registered against unidentified persons under section 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code at Kalachowki police station in connection with the letter, said an official, adding that police are conducting further probe.

    Raj Thackeray had given an ultimatum last month that loudspeakers be removed from mosques in the state by May 4.

  • ‘No one should teach Hindutva to Shiv Sena’: Sanjay Raut hits back at Raj Thackeray

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday asserted that there was no violation of loudspeaker guidelines in Maharashtra and said no one should teach Hindutva to his party.

    Without taking names of the BJP and MNS, Raut told reporters that people do not take cognisance of people who, with the support of “pseudo Hindutvawadis”, conspire against the Shiv Sena.

    Notably, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has been targeting the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and has given a call for “silencing” loudspeakers atop mosques.

    Raut said, “There is no violation of loudspeakers (guidelines) in Maharashtra. The state is working according to the guidelines on loudspeakers laid down by the Supreme Court. If anyone is violating the law, then the government is capable of (tackling) it.”

    “The situation has not reached a level where an agitation (on the loudspeaker issue) is needed in Mumbai or Maharashtra. All mosques have taken permission for the use of loudspeakers,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

    His remarks came after the MNS chief on Wednesday tweeted an old video of late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, in which the latter was seen saying the day his party comes to power, offering namaz on roads will be stopped and loudspeakers from mosques will be removed.

    To this, Raut said, “We have not stooped that low. We still run on his principles. Balasaheb had taken a stand on loudspeakers and offering of namaz on road. He stopped it after coming to power. No one should teach Hindutva to the Shiv Sena.”

    The Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson, without naming Raj Thackeray said the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government (comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) was running as per law and not on anyone’s ultimatum.

    “Maharashtra has a Thackeray government. Even if the state has a Maha Vikas Aghadi government, it is helmed by Uddhav Thackeray. He is the Sena chief, son of Hinduhriday Samrat Bal Thackeray. So, he doesn’t have to take advice on praying on roads during namaz and illegal loudspeakers on masjids,” Raut said.

    Asked about MNS workers playing the Hanuman Chalisa near some mosques, he said, “I have not seen any agitation. If there are no unauthorised loudspeakers, then you have to decide whether you are staging a protest or doing an illegal act.”

    Meanwhile, trouble mounted for Raj Thackeray after the Aurangabad police on Tuesday registered an offence against him over his “provocative” speech on loudspeakers atop mosques two days ago, while the Maharashtra DGP said appropriate legal action will be taken against him over the issue.

    In related developments, a court in western Maharashtra’s Sangli district has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Raj Thackeray in connection with a 14-year-old case, while the Mumbai police served him a notice under a CrPC section related to prevention of cognizable offences.

    Sending out a blunt message to the MNS president over his May 3 deadline for removal of loudspeakers from mosques, the ruling Shiv Sena said the state does not run on ultimatums and that the rule of law prevails here even as some MNS leaders warned they will hit the streets in case of further action against their leader.

    The police in Aurangabad, located more than 350km from Mumbai in central Maharashtra, on Tuesday registered a case against Raj Thackeray, two days after he called for “silencing” loudspeakers atop mosques from May 4, an official said.

    The 53-year-old politician was booked under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 116 (abetment of an offence punishable with imprisonment if the offence be not committed) and 117 (abetting commission of the offence by the public or by more than 10 persons) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act, the official told reporters.

    In the Aurangabad rally on May 1, the MNS chief had asked people to play the Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques from May 4 if loudspeakers there were not removed.

    Unfazed by registration of the case, Raj Thackeray in the evening urged people to play the Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers on Wednesday wherever they hear loudspeakers “blaring azaan (Islamic prayer call)”.

    In an open letter, he asked people to lodge complaint with the police by dialing 100 if they are distributed by the sound of ‘azaan’.

    “One must complain daily,” the MNS leader said.

    “I appeal to all Hindus that tomorrow, the 4th of May, if you hear the loudspeaker blaring with azaan; in those places, play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. That’s when they will realise the hindrance of these loudspeakers,” Raj Thackeray said in the letter.

    Late in the evening, the Mumbai police served a notice to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief under CrPC section 149 related to preventing cognizable offences, an official said.

    The Shivaji Park police station official said the notice has been served as a precautionary measure.

    The police have issued precautionary notices under various sections of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) to more than 300 people in the Central Mumbai region, including prominent MNS leaders, he said.

    Notices under section 149 of the CrPC are served to prevent cognisable offences.

    Cognizable offences are those in which the police can arrest someone without any warrant.

    Earlier in the day, Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth said the Aurangabad police commissioner will take appropriate legal action against Raj Thackeray over his speech against loudspeakers atop mosques.

    “The Aurangabad CP is looking into the speech. He will take whatever legal action that is needed today itself,” the DGP told reporters in Mumbai.

    Notices under section 149 of the CrPC have been issued to over 13,000 people, Seth said.

    Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Seth and senior police officials reviewed the law-and-order situation in the state in the backdrop of the MNS chief’s deadline on the removal of loudspeakers.

    “The Maharashtra police are capable of handling any kind of law-and-order situation. SRPF and Home Guards have been deployed in the state,” Seth said.

    The leaves of all police personnel have been cancelled, the DGP said.

    A court in Sangli district has issued a non-bailable warrant against the MNS chief in connection with a 14-year-old case.

    In 2008, Raj Thackeray was booked under sections 109 and 117 (abetment of offence) of IPC for allegedly making inflammatory speeches.

    While issuing the non-bailable warrant on April 6, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, at Shirala in Sangli district asked the Mumbai police commissioner to arrest the MNS chief and present him before the court.

    The judge issued the warrant against Raj Thackeray and another MNS leader Shirish Parkar through the Mumbai police commissioner and the Kherwadi police station, respectively, as they failed to appear before the court during the case proceeding, said assistant public prosecutor Jyoti Patil.

    She said the court has asked the police to implement the warrant before June 8 and produce both the leaders before the court.

    In 2008, MNS workers staged a protest in Shirala against the arrest of Raj Thackeray in an agitation seeking priority for local youth in jobs.

    Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Shiv Sena MP and the party’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said suitable action will follow if someone gives inflammatory speeches.

    “The government does not run on an ultimatum. There is rule of law in the state,” Raut said.

    MNS leaders warned they will hit the streets in case of further action against their party head.

    The party’s Thane district president, Avinash Jadhav, criticised Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the issue of the removal of loudspeakers from mosques.

    Jadhav claimed it was Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray who had first demanded the removal of loudspeakers from mosques, but his son (Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray) has booked Raj Thackeray for making a similar demand.

  • MNS chief shares Bal Thackeray’s old video, ups ante against mosque loudspeakers

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray seems undeterred despite being booked by the state police as he persists with his anti-loudspeaker campaign, as he on Wednesday shared a video of the Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray in which he is seen speaking against the use of loudspeakers and Muslims offering prayers on the roads.

    Raj Thackeray had recently posed in Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s trademark attire in a social media post. Raj Thackeray is incidentally attempting an image makeover to revive his political fortunes in the state by embarking on hard Hindutva.

    ALSO READ | Loudspeaker row: MNS workers play Hanuman Chalisa near mosque in Mumbai, heavy security deployed

    In the video, shared by Raj Thackeray, Bal Thackeray is heard saying that the Shiv Sena will not rest until it is successful in preventing people from offering namaz on roads when it comes to power in the state.

    “We (Shiv Sena) will not stop until we are successful in preventing the people from offering namaz on roads when we will form the government in Maharashtra,” Bal Thackeray said in the video posted by the MNS chief on his Twitter handle today.

    “If someone has any complaint about the Hindu religion, then they can come to us, and we will solve the issue. Loudspeakers will be removed from the mosques,” Bal Thackeray said in the video shared by Raj Thackeray.

    The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief on April 12 gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.

    A case was filed against Raj Thackeray on Tuesday when he appealed to people to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers in the areas where loudspeakers are used for ‘Aazan’ from today.

    He also announced that he will hold more rallies in Marathwada, Vidarbha and other cities as well.

    Meanwhile, Mumbai Police seized loudspeakers from the MNS office and detained the party’s Chandivali unit chief Mahendra Bhanushali and others on Tuesday.

    Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday had ordered the police to take all measures to maintain law and order and not wait for anyone’s order. Uddhav Thackeray also held a telephonic conversation with the Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth. 

  • Loudspeaker row: Mumbai police issue notices to 100 people, including MNS leaders

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Mumbai police have issued notices to at least 100 people, including MNS leaders Nitin Sardesai and Bala Nandgaonkar, under section 149 of the CrPC for preventing cognisable offences, an official said on Tuesday.

    The move comes after MNS chief Raj Thackeray at a rally in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad city on May 1 asked people to play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques from May 4 if loudspeakers there were not removed.

    According to the office of the Maharashtra director general of police (DGP), preventive action has so far been taken against more than 15,000 people in the state under various sections of the CrPC and the Maharashtra Police Act.

    The DGP’s office also said that notices under CrPC section 149 were issued against 13,054 people across the state, including MNS workers.

    Considering the law and order situation in the state capital Mumbai, the city police have issued notices under the CrPC section 149 to at least 100 people under zone 5, which includes Dadar, Matunga, Shivaji Park and Dharavi areas.

    The Shivaji Park police issued notices to 12 people, including MNS functionaries Nitin Sardesai, Bala Nandgaokar, Sandeep Deshpande, Sukumar Killedar and others.

    Besides, 15 people were issued notices in Dadar area, the official said.

    The central Mumbai is considered a stronghold of the MNS, and police are taking all precautions to avoid any untoward situation in the area, he said.

  • Aurangabad police chief will act against Raj Thackeray over speech: Maharashtra DGP

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra police chief Rajnish Seth on Tuesday said Aurangabad police commissioner will take appropriate legal action against MNS leader Raj Thackeray over his speech against loudspeakers atop mosques.

    “Aurangabad CP is looking into the speech. He will take whatever legal action that is needed,” Seth told reporters, two days after Thackeray, at a rally in Aurangabad, called for “silencing” loudspeakers from the mosques from May 4.

    Seth met state Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil earlier on Tuesday and the two, along with senior police officials, reviewed the law-and-order situation ahead of the MNS chief’s deadline.

    “Maharashtra police are capable of handling any kind of law-and-order situation. SRPF and Home Guards have been deployed in the state,” Seth said.

    “I appeal everyone to maintain peace,” he added.