Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday directed the state government and the ECI to file its reply to a petition by a city based lawyer seeking registration of an FIR against MNS chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly assaulting citizens for not speaking in Marathi.
Petition Seeks FIR and Action Against MNS Workers
The PIL filed by advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay has sought registration against Thackeray and his party workers for repeatedly targeting non-Marathi speaking citizens, especially from North India.
Bench Asks Petitioner to Remove Regional Labels From Plea
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A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad initially said that the petitioner should delete the terms north Indians and south Indians from the plea and the term hate speech was sufficient.
Petitioner Argues Targeting Increases Before Elections
Petitioners advocate Subhash Jha argued that the political party often targeted non-Marathi-speaking citizens before the elections. “All the gimmicks start during election time. Before elections they start targeting non-Marathi speaking persons,” Jha said.
To this, CJ Chandrashekhar remarked: “Maybe it’s a fact… But where is the necessity to say North Indian and South Indian.”
State Suggests Private Complaint; Court Seeks Reply
Public prosecutor Mankunwar Deshmukh suggested that Upadhyay can file a private complaint before a metropolitan magistrate. However, the court directed the state and the election commission of India to file its reply in four weeks.
Petitioner Also Sought Derecognition of MNS
The petitioner has also written to the Election Commission of India and the State Election Commission to de-recognise the political party. Also, he has submitted complaints to the Deputy Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police.
PIL Cites July Rally Allegations Against Raj Thackeray
The petition highlights a rally held on July 5, where Raj Thackeray allegedly incited violence by suggesting that those who do not speak Marathi should be “hit below their eardrums”. He also reportedly mocked Hindi-speaking states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan, saying, “If Hindi couldn’t solve the economic problems of those states, how will its imposition solve Maharashtra’s issues?”
Plea Claims Remarks Politically Motivated Ahead of Elections
Calling Raj’s love for Marathi “seasonal”, the plea accuses him of politicising language for electoral gain, particularly ahead of the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Mumbai.
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Supreme Court Directed Petitioner to Approach HC First
In July, Upadhyay had filed the PIL before the Supreme Court, which asked him to first approach the high court. He then filed the PIL before the high court.
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