FIR lodged against Raj Thackeray, arrest likely

(Source: www.ibnlive.com)

The Mumbai police have registered a case against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray. Sources said the Mumbai police is likely to arrest the MNS leader shortly.

Raj has been booked under Section 153A of the IPC. He's been charged with promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of place of birth and language and for trying to disturb social harmony.

Reacting sharply to the police action, an MNS spokesman criticised the police and asked why no action is being taken against Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi, who too had fueled the fire with angry outbursts.

The MNS chief has of late been running a campaign against North Indian migrants to Mumbai. He's been blamed for inciting his MNS cadre to attack north Indians in Mumbai.

Attacks on migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh began soon after Raj criticised actor Amitabh Bachchan of being more loyal to his home state Uttar Pradesh.

There was strong pressure on Mumbai police from North Indian politicians to register a case against Raj Thackeray.

Politicians from UP and Bihar have all registered their anger against Raj Thackeray through strong sound bites and the list includes some important faces of the ruling coalition at the centre.

Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Minister of Steel and Lok Jan Shakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan said: "Raj and his goondas should be arrested soon."

Another leader from Bihar Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav, who is the Union Minister of State of Water Resources said: "What he (Raj Thackeray) has done is objectionable and strict action should be taken."

Even the BJP had asked the police to probe the violence and Raj Thackeray's role in it. "The police should look into this and take appropriate action," Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP spokesperson, said.

THe Congress, too, was favouring police action against the MNS chief. Party spokesperson M Veerappa Moily had sais last week that Raj Thackeray can be booked for his provocative statements and that the state government was talking to legal experts under what section he can be prosecuted.

Raj had also been shown as a wanted person in a case of criminal intimidation filed by Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.

Raj Thackeray remarks against north Indians had also echoed in the corridors of the Supreme Court last week when a petition was filed seeking a direction to the Election Commission to derecognise the MNS.

An advocate, Arvind Shukla, filed the petition in the wake of large-scale violence by MNS workers against north Indians.