Complaint against Raj Thackeray for 'anti-national' speech

Five Delhi-based lawyers have filed a criminal complaint in a court against MNS chief Raj Thackeray for his alleged remark that he would not be responsible if a demand for a separate Maharashtra nation were to arise.

Metropolitan magistrate Jitender Mishra will record the
statements on February 16 of advocate Ashish Rai and his four
colleagues before taking cognizance of the complaint against
Thackeray.

The complaint seeks to prosecute the Maharashtra
Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code dealing with attempting to wage war against the state, promoting enemity between classes, and making statements against national integration and public peace.

Citing newspaper clippings, the complaint alleged that the MNS
leader made a public speech at Dombivli in Thane district and said, "Agar Maharashtra ko alag rashtra banane ki maang uthne lage to mai zimmedar nahi hunga [If a demand for a separate Maharashtra were to arise, I would not be responsible]."

Besides Rai, advocates Durgesh Rai, SK Singh, Amrendra
Singh, and Tej Narain are the co-complainants. All of them hail from North India.

"The said utterances have invoked a sense of hatred among
members of society," the complaint said.

"Lawyers had played an instrumental role in the freedom struggle and we cannot remain mute spectators to such a vicious attempt to disintegrate our country," Rai said.