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Raj Thackeray, Abu Azmi arrested; get bail

Arunkumar Bhatt

Deshmukh warns of action against those who try to disturb peace in the name of protests

BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

IN THE DOCK: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray being taken to court in Mumbai on Wednesday.

MUMBAI: After deploying forces in strength and rounding up most of the active supporters of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Mumbai police on Wednesday arrested party chief Raj Thackeray and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Abu Asim Azmi. Both were released on bail within a few hours.

The police demanded their custody but did not press for it. As magistrates considered 14-day judicial custody, their lawyers moved bail pleas. While Mr. Thackeray was released on a surety of Rs. 15,000, Mr. Azmi got bail on a surety of Rs. 10,000 from another court.

Trouble erupted all over the State 10 days ago after the MNS and SP activists, incited by the remarks of their leaders, clashed in Mumbai. Mr. Thackeray had questioned the preference given to north Indians in jobs in Mumbai.

“Undisputed” leader

MNS vice-president and spokesman of the party Vagheesh Saraswat said the events proved that Mr. Thackeray was the “undisputed” leader of Maharashtrians.

“We are not engaged in vote-bank politics, we have raised an issue and we stick to that and that has got us the love and support of the people,” he said.

After arresting Mr. Thackeray from his residence near the Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, the police took him to a city magistrate’s court in the distant suburb of Vikhroli. The police van was followed by several vehicles of the party and the media. Several hundred MNS activists gathered at the court.

Mr. Azmi was picked up from his residence in Colaba and taken to the Bhoiwada court. The two leaders were taken to different courts because they were booked at different police stations but under identical clauses of the Indian Penal Code — IPC 153 for wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riots; 153A for promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion, race, place of birth, residence, and language etc; 153B for imputations prejudicial to national integration and 117 for abetting in the commitment of an offence. If convicted, they will face imprisonment up to three years and fines.

Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil, who arrived here from Nagpur, held an emergency meeting with the Director-General of Police, the City Police Commissioner and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) before the arrests were ordered.

Based on evidence

Mr. Patil told reporters later: “The police were given clear directions and they were acting on the strength of evidence. They were capable of meeting any situation for protecting the law.”

He said the rule of law would prevail and one must understand “you cannot change the law or the Constitution by burning a rickshaw or stoning a bus.” He denied that he was under pressure to act.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was attending a ceremony in his native Latur, in a statement, supported the police action and warned that action would be taken against those who would try to disturb peace in the name of protests.

He said forces had been deployed in strength all over Maharashtra and hence people from other States should not get frightened.

P.S. Pasricha, DGP, said about 1800 persons were taken into preventive custody. Besides the city constabulary, units of the State Reserve Police, the Rapid Action Force and other Central police forces were deployed in key areas in the city and suburbs.

Stray violence

But the arrests of the leaders were not absolutely trouble-free; minor incidents of stone-throwing and intimidation were reported from Dahisar, Worli and Bhandup and also the adjacent city of Thane. Arsonists burnt down a taxi at Dadar.

Shops in many suburbs and city localities downed shutters and street vendors refrained from spreading their ware. Vikhroli, where Mr. Thackeray was produced before a magistrate, was particularly tense.

Violence was reported from Nagpur, Kolhapur, Pune and Nashik. Over 50 persons were detained in Pune following sporadic incidents of stone-throwing. A city bus was damaged.

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