A court in New Delhi on Monday directed Delhi Police to lodge an FIR against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly branding Muslims from north India as insurgents and threatening them to throw out of the state.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday said he was not into politics for personal gains, but to fight for issues. "I am not bothered about any gains or losses that I might incur with my involvement in politics. I have taken up certain issues, and I will stick to them," Thackeray told newspersons during an informal chat in Nagpur.
It seems the Bharatiya Janata Party proposes but the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena disposes.
The Congress party extends best wishes to the newly-elected Vice President of India, C P Radhakrishnan, while recalling the words of the first Vice President, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, on the importance of free criticism in a democracy.
Sharpening its attack on MNS chief Raj Thackeray over his agitation against toll collection, the Shiv Sena said it had "predicted" the outcome of today's stir.
"He (Raj) was very careful this time and it seems he has consulted some legal experts before making the speech. For taking action, the offence needs to have been complete. And it is difficult to find an explicit threat or provocation in the speech text," a senior police officer said amidst widespread demand for action against MNS chief.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has blamed "Bihari" migrants for the recent case of gangrape of a girl in New Delhi.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday supported cartoonist Aseem Trivedi and demanded that he be set free and the sedition charge against him be dropped.
Raut said Sena-UBT has a positive approach towards an alliance with MNS, which is pronounced 'Manase' in Marathi, while attempting to make a wordplay with the party's name.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde displayed irritation when a reporter sought his reaction on the speculation of reconciliation between estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. The speculation of reconciliation between the two Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, has been fueled by recent statements from both leaders suggesting they could put aside past differences and work together for the benefit of Maharashtra. The question of whether this reconciliation will translate into a political alliance remains to be seen, but the possibility has generated significant buzz in the state's political landscape.
The Maharashtra Congress on Friday said it will welcome an alliance between the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) if it is in the interest of the state and to keep the 'communal' Bharatiya Janata Party away.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday defended actor Salman Khan, who came under fire for claiming that the 26/11 attacks were hyped because the 'elite' were targeted by the terrorists.
The development sparked off speculation that the MNS chief might be arrested and produced before the court in Vikhroli in suburban Mumbai.
Under attack for his campaign against north Indians, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday softened his stand on Chhat puja, saying that he was not opposed to the festival being celebrated in Maharashtra but warned against it being used as a show of political strength.
'Like me there are crores of Marathi people in the state hoping for this miracle to work.'
A local court in Mumbai will decide on November 18 whether Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray has to be present in the court while arguments on the application seeking cancellation of his bail are heard.
PIX: Lata Mageshkar, Sachin Tendulkar meet with Raj Thackeray
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on north Indians, singling out the arrest of terrorists from Bihar, in the 13/7 serial blasts case.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has stated that there are ongoing "emotional talks" between his party and the MNS, though no formal alliance has been announced. Raut clarified that Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has not set any preconditions for rapprochement with his cousin, MNS president Raj Thackeray. The speculation about a possible reconciliation began after Raj Thackeray expressed willingness to work with Uddhav in a podcast interview. However, the MNS spokesperson downplayed the significance of Raj Thackeray's remarks, emphasizing the need for the Sena (UBT) to support the MNS's agitation for Marathi language and people. Uddhav Thackeray, while open to reconciliation, has cautioned against working with those deemed "enemies" of Maharashtra, an apparent reference to the BJP and the Shinde-led Sena.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has begun preparations for polls to the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, as well as other major civic bodies including Pune and Thane, likely to be held later this year.
Check out the star arrivals.
The ruling Congress party in Maharashtra is seeking party general secretary Rahul Gandhi's help to take on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray in order to consolidate its position by luring youths in the party organisation.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray anti-toll agitation brought Mumbai to standstill, almost. Here are some dramatic pictures from the agitation.
Welcoming the transfer of Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik following the August 11 violence in south Mumbai, MNS president Raj Thackeray on Thursday again demanded resignation of Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil, who he said was "ignorant" about his department.
Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers on Monday went on the rampage, vandalising toll plazas in different parts of the state following their leader's diktat not to pay the levy and "thrash" those who raise a voice against it.
BJP leaders in Maharashtra criticized Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's joint rally in Mumbai, calling it a desperate attempt to revive their political fortunes ahead of civic polls. They accused the Thackerays of using the Marathi language issue as a guise to regain power and criticized their past actions.
'Let's see how this love story shapes up in the run up to the municipal corporation election.'
'This will split the Marathi and Shiv Sena vote.' 'The BJP has conducted 3 surveys indicating they shall secure 109 seats in the BMC.' 'They do not wish for the Shinde Sena to demonstrate excessive strength in the BMC.' 'If the Thackerays secure 60-70 seats, that will affect Shinde's seats.'
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday charged the Centre and Maharashtra government with failing to rein in Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for his threat to throw Biharis out of Maharashtra.
'If Uddhav bhau and Raj bhau come together, who can stop us?' Prasanna D Zore reports on the fervour and hope set off by the Thackeray cousins coming together.
This was the third public meeting between the cousins in the last two months, further intensifying speculation of a thaw in ties between the two parties.
Shinde He said anyone can go anywhere, it is their personal choice, but people support those who work for them and think about their welfare.
Maharashtra Navnirmkan Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday shot down the suggestion of his party joining the grand alliance of Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party- Republican Party of India to take on the ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress Party in Maharashtra and asserted his outfit will capture power in the state on its own strength.
Daring the Maharashtra government to take action against them, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers and supporters headed towards Pune on Sunday, without paying the toll, to attend a public meeting to be addressed by their leader Raj Thackeray.
Expressing anguish over no breakthrough in rationalist Narendra Dabholkar murder case even after a month, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday alleged the killing could be "state-sponsored" one.
Counting of votes has begun in the Maharashtra municipal corporation elections, with a focus on the Mumbai battle between the BJP-led alliance and the Thackeray factions.
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.
'It would have polarised the Marathi-non Marathi divide further. 'Fadnavis had a very clear strategy: Let all Marathi people campaign for us (the BJP), and whatever results we get will be delivered by Marathi people only.'
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said his party responded to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's call for rapprochement and that seniors from that party should step up to take it forward. Thackeray said his party welcomes whoever is opposed to the anti-Maharashtra BJP. The statement follows speculation about a possible reconciliation between cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, who had a bitter parting of ways nearly two decades ago.
The auto sector in Pune, which houses production centres of the most prominent auto manufacturers in the country, says that 60-70 per cent of its labour is already local. They were reponding to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's call yesterday urging companies to reserve 80 per cent of all industrial jobs created for local Maharashtrians.
