No posters on 350th anniversary of Afzal Khan's killing

Mumbai police and the BMC have refused permission for putting up posters depicting Mughal general Afzal Khan's killing by Chhatrapati Shivaji on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the incident today.

The Shiv Sena had planned to put up posters depicting Khan’s killing all over the city. Depiction of Afzal Khan's killing during Ganesh festival in Miraj town of Sangli district had led to communal clashes in Sangli and Kolhapur.

Sena corporators gheraoed acting municipal commissioner RA Rajeev in the corporation yesterday. Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Himanshu Roy wrote to Rajeev asking him not to allow the posters to be put up without police permission.

Rajeev circulated the letter to all ward offices and told them to act promptly, effectively banning the posters. Sena corporator Sunil Prabhu condemned the move, saying "BMC and police cannot stop the Shiv Sena from displaying the posters."