Petition filed in Bombay High Court seeks FIR under charges of sedition against Raj Thackeray

Mumbai, Maharashtra: A petition has been filed before the Bombay High Court seeking directions to the Maharashtra government and Mumbai police to register an FIR against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray under the charges of sedition and creating nuisance in connection with his 1 May, 2022, Aurangabad rally. The petition was filed by a Pune-based activist, Hemant Patil and is likely to be mentioned for an urgent hearing today. In his petition, Patil who also heads an NGO said that Thackeray organised a rally on 1 May in Aurangabad in which he spoke against NCP chief Sharad Pawar which may cause unrest among the party workers leading to disruption of peace in the state. He sought the registration of a case of sedition against the MNS chief. Notably, Thackeray, during his rally on 1 May, had charged the NCP chief of “dividing Maharashtra in caste politics” and also added that Pawar is an atheist. Following his speech, the Aurangabad police registered an FIR against the MNS chief after seeing the viral videos of his rally. Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray had reiterated his ultimatum to remove the loudspeakers from mosques by 3 May, failing which they would play Hanuman Chalisa with double volume compared to Azaan from 4 May. “Today is the first day of Maharashtra (Maharashtra Day). I will not listen from the fourth day from now. Wherever we will see a loudspeaker, we will also chant Hanuman Chalisa in front of the loudspeaker in double volume,” Thackeray had said while addressing a gathering at Sanskrutik Mandal Maidan in Aurangabad. Mumbai Police seized loudspeakers from the MNS office and detain the party’s Chandivali unit chief Mahendra Bhanushali and others on 3 May. The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief on 12 April, when gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government seeking the removal of loudspeakers from mosques within 3 May, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.