The event witnessed the who's who of Maharashtra politics -- including three former chief ministers of Maharashtra.
Public prosecutor Ajay Mishar's ride in Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's car has triggered a controversy with lawyers saying such acts raise doubts whether the Maharashtra government is serious in prosecuting Thackeray in the 2008 riot case.
Complying with a Bombay High Court directive, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray today surrendered before a court in Kalyan in Maharashtra in connection with a 2008 rioting case in which North Indians appearing for railway recruitment examination were assaulted.
Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali voted in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections at Bandra.
After investigations into the complaint filed on February 3, the police have concluded that there was not much substance in Amar Singh's claim, Deputy Commissioner of Police Brijesh Singh told PTI in Mumbai on Thursday night. Amar Singh, SP general secretary, had filed a complaint with the Azad Maidan Police Station after MNS activists disrupted a press conference by him in the area on February 2.
A local court in Jamshedpur has issued summons against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for his remarks over Chatt festival leading to agitation in several parts of the country, including Bihar and Jharkhand. He has been asked to appear before the court on April 22. The court of first class judicial magistrate A K Tiwari issued the summons on Tuesday after examining witnesses Rajhans Tiwari, Sanjay Prasad and Niranjan Prasad (all lawyers).
MNS, which launched its campaign against north Indian migrants last month, had issued advertisements in local newspapers asking unemployed Marathi youth to enroll with the party, which would provide them jobs in industrial units in Nashik.
'I don't think there will be many problems after the assembly election results.'
Azmi told journalists in Parliament House on the opening day of the budget session of Parliament that all those indulging in statements that disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of Parliament should be imprisoned for one year and their parties should be de-recognised by the Election Commission.
The development sparked off speculation that the MNS chief might be arrested and produced before the court in Vikhroli in suburban Mumbai.
"The Home Ministry is providing central forces to the state government as requested by it. Rapid Action Force units are already positioned in Mumbai," a senior Home Ministry official said.
Media personnel trying to reach Thackeray's residence were told to wait several meters away.
Trouble had erupted in India's financial capital on February 3 when activists belonging to Samajwadi Party and MNS clashed over Raj Thackeray's controversial remarks against north Indians.
The Maharashtra government is seeking the opinion of the state's Advocate General on the issue of the arrest of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray for his remarks against north Indians, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said on Thursday. "For an arrest warrant, we are seeking legal opinion. The police will take action according to advise," he said. Deshmukh said it was the government's job to provide all residents of Mumbai protection.
Approximately 25 youths, suspected to be MNS members, attacked the office of the Mumbai Taximen's Union in Central Mumbai on Thursday morning. MNS workers have been targeting taxi drivers since the past few days, but the police are yet to confirm the perpetrators of today's attack. Union president A I Qadros had earlier said that the taxi drivers would go on strike if they were not compensated for the attacks.
Shinde and Killary, along with MNS sympathiser Bala Nandgaonkar and other MNS activists, were picked up from Matunga in central Mumbai for instigating people and rioting, deputy commissioner of police Sunil Ramanand said.
With the Centre asking the state government to take proper steps to maintain law and order, Deshmukh said stern action would be taken against the guilty and there will be full protection for those living in Mumbai.
Amitabh Bachchan, who is away in Shimla for a film shoot, stays away from the controversy.
Following the footsteps of the MNS chief's call for 'Marathi pride', Soren publicly claimed on Sunday that Jharkhand remained the sole preserve of adivasis (tribals) and Moolvasis (original settlers).
Police said sensitive pockets, where trouble can erupt, are on high alert. Cinema theatres have also been provided security as one of the movie halls, showing a Bhojpuri film, was targeted on Saturday.
Foreign actresses who appear in Bollywood films are being targeted in a hate campaign by the MNS in Mumbai.
A day after the Supreme Court asked him to desist from making provocative speeches targeting north Indians, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray chose to speak on Hindi saying the language should not be forced on the people.
Giving a new dimension to his son-of-the-soil campaign, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray said on Friday that land under irrigation in the state should be given only to Marathi people.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday surrendered before a court in Aurangabad in connection with four cases of rioting registered against him in 2008, but was later released on bail. Raj presented himself in the court of Judicial Magistrate, First Class, in Gangapur area in Aurangabad in central Maharashtra. The court released him on a bail of Rs 15,000 in all the four cases. He was accompanied by his lawyer Sayaji Nagare.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday met Governor S C Jamir at Raj Bhavan in the backdrop of the attack on Mumbai University premises by MNS student activists.Jamir, in his capacity as chancellor of universities in the state, had summoned the MNS chief to discuss the ransacking of Mumbai university's registrar chamber over the issue of 'neglect' of Marathi students.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Monday surrendered before a local court in Jalgaon in a case of rioting registered against him in 2008 and was later released on bail.
Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi on Monday described Marathi as his mother and Hindi as his grandmother, and said he was learning the local language out of respect and not fear. "Marathi is like mother for me, but Hindi is like my grandmother. I am learning Marathi. (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief) Raj Thackeray should not think that I am learning the language out of his fear," he said.
The state government in October last had moved the court seeking cancellation of bail of Raj granted in February by the Vikhroli metropolitan magistrate following his arrest in October after his supporters went on the rampage at several railway recruitment board job centres.
Flagging his stand on the sons-of-soil issue, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray said on Wednesday that if Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab could learn Marathi in a year then why can't Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi who has been living in Mumbai for years.
Thackeray's latest statement is expected to spark more controversy as the MNS chief will be on a statewide tour, starting February 13.
Acting on a Jamshedpur court order, the Mumbai police on Monday arrested Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who is accused of hurting religious sentiments and instigating violence.The MNS chief was arrested today morning by the Shivaji Park police and produced before the Dadar court, where he was granted bail of Rs 15,000, Raj's lawyer Shayaji Nangare told PTI.He was later released on bail.
Fuelling the language row further in Maharashtra, Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Monday asked taxi drivers from the Hindi-speaking states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to be conversant in Marathi within 40 days or return to their native homes.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray, under flak for his strident anti-north Indian campaign, has decided to send letters to every household in the state, urging them to use Marathi in daily life. "Thackeray will pen the letter in Marathi and MNS workers will go to households in the state on February 27 to deliver the letter," a MNS leader said. "In the letter, the MNS chief will urge the people to use Marathi everywhere, including offices, trains and markets."
The order came from first class judicial magistrate A K Tiwary when Thackeray failed to appear before the court on Thursday in connection with a petition by lawyer Hameed Raza Khan under sectioins 153 (rioting), 295 (hurting religious sentiments) and other relevant sections of the Indian PenalCode for the MNS leader's remarks against Chhatt festival earlier this year.
By the next election, the Shiv Sena too may end up like Raj Thackeray's MNS.
HC raps Maharashtra government again over MNS violence. "Why no chargesheets have been filed against any of the offenders?" division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice S A Bobde asked. "Keep the senior officer in charge of the probe present in the court next Wednesday (December 10)," ordered the high court.
Citizens are finding cyberspace to be the best way to express their views on the grisly terror act and are not shying away from holding the country's politicians responsible for the situation.
The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court on Wednesday stayed the arrest warrant against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray till January 4, 2010.The Badnapur JMFC court had issued the arrest warrant against Raj in connection to a stone pelting incident at a bus near Hirvi Phata in Badnapur of Jalna district on October 21 in 2008. Justice S S Shinde of the Aurangabad bench passed the order and advocate Sagar Ladda appeared for Raj.
As the political turmoil in Maharashtra continues to unfold, rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shide spoke to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray about the recent political situation in the state, confirmed MNS leader on Monday.
Dr Singh, in a letter written on October 27, told Deshmukh that his government cannot be a spectator during deliberate attempts to disturb peace in the state, NDTV reported.
