Complaint filed against Raj for anti-North Indian comments

MUMBAI: A case was on Monday registered against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for his reported comments against north Indians at a recent party meeting on the basis of a complaint filed by Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam.

The case against Raj relates to 'promoting enmity among people on the basis of place of birth and language', Additional Commissioner of Police (West Region) Bipin Bihari
said.

"We have registered the case at the Andheri police station and it would be soon transfered to the Sion police station under whose jurisdiction Shanmukhananda Hall
(where the MNS meeting was held) falls," he said.

Speaking at the first anniversary celebrations of MNS at the venue few days ago, Thackeray had defended alleged violence against north Indians in the city saying "If anybody troubles Marathis, our hands will rise again and again."

Nirupa , who is a Congress spokesman and a former Rajya Sabha MP, had last night lodged a police complaint, saying he suspected the involvement of MNS workers in attacking his car with sticks and causing damage to the vehicle.

Denying the charge, MNS leader Shirish Parkar said here that "I have no information of any of our workers being involved in any such incident. It is they (Congress) who have
been buring effigies of our leader (Raj Thackeray). Let the police find out the truth".