Maharashtra: Petition filed in Bombay HC seeks FIR under sedition against Raj Thackeray

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 6 (ANI): 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 May 1 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 May 1 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 May 1, 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 May 3, failing which they would play Hanuman Chalisa with double volume compared to Azaan from May 4.
"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 Tuesday.
The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief on April 12, when gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government seeking the removal of loudspeakers from mosques within May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. (ANI)