The Maharashtra government is weighing its options carefully in the wake of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray daring it to arrest him after the Mumbai police said it would execute the non-bailable warrant issued against Thackeray. The warrant has been issued by a Jamshedpur court for his inflammatory remarks against Biharis.
It may be recalled that MNS activists had yesterday beaten up candidates from North India who had came to Mumbai to appear for an examination conducted by the railway board. The violence has happened in Kalyan, Dombivali and Navi Mumbai.
As Thackeray has been cautious with his language over the last few months and since he is not directly involved in the attacks, it will be difficult to book him, according to officials from the home department.
Knowing this, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh appeared to be cautious when he met a delegation led by Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) President Kripa Shankar Singh which demanded stern action against Thackeray and the MNS. The delegation had to return only with an assurance that the guilty would be brought to book.
What bothered the government was a law and order situation in view of the arrest warrant. Fearing violence in the MNS-dominated cities, the home department ordered detention of hundreds of MNS workers. In the meantime, Thackeray continued with his state tour and proceeded to Ratnagiri from Mahad in Raigad district. The local police are expected to assist the Jharkhand police in serving the warrant on him.
Taking responsibility for failing to protect the candidates in the light of concerns raised by the constituents of United Progressive Alliance, Deshmukh said, “As a chief minister it is my duty to protect lives and properties of citizens.”
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A combative Raj justified the attack and warned the state it would have to “regret” the consequences in the event of his arrest.
“Arrest me and be ready to bear the consequences.... you will have to regret,” said Thackeray, who was attending a ceremony at Bahadursheikh Naka in Chiplun in the state.
“If Raj is arrested, entire Maharashtra will be set on fire,” he threatened.
Mumbai police said it was “closely monitoring the situation and would consequently make the arrest.” Police Commissioner Hasan Gaffoor said the NBW would be executed in the coming days and Raj would be produced before the court.
“We will serve the warrant on Raj and will have to produce him in the court there (Jamshedpur),” Gaffoor said. Raj has been directed to appear before the court on November17. Gaffoor said the state police had made 400-500 preventive arrests to ensure there was no violence.
Thackeray is presently travelling in the Konkan region and Western Maharashtra and is expected to return to the city by October 23.