Mumbai, February 05: Upping the ante in the “Mumbai for all” row, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray ordered party cadres to greet Rahul Gandhi with black flags to mark their protests when he visits Mumbai tomorrow after the unfazed Congress leader stuck to his schedule.
Gearing up for the Congress leader’s visit, authorities have tightened security at venues during his interactions with youths and slum dwellers even as Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan warned of strict action if anyone takes law into their hands.
“The Congress leader has SPG cover and the state police machinery will also be in place during his visit,” Chavan told reporters in Pune. “Nowhere in Indian politics, such a low level of personal allegations is seen. I condemn their utterances,” headed.
Section 144 has been imposed on the routes that the Congress General Secretary will travel on. Reports suggest some Shiv Sainiks have been taken in preventive detention.
“We have taken all precautions to ensure that the programmes of Rahul Gandhi pass off peacefully. Adequate number of policemen have been deployed at these places,” City Police Commissioner D Sivanandhan said.
Stern action would be taken against those taking law into their hands, he said. Police have been maintaining strict vigilance in and around the Bhaidas Hall in suburban Vile Parle and Ramabai Nagar slum colony in Ghatkopar, where Rahul’s programmes were scheduled, and sniffer dogs have been put into service.
Thorough checking in these localities were conducted and frisking of suspicious persons would be done.
Bal Thackeray has asked Sena workers to show black flags to Rahul during his visit to the city, senior party leader Sanjay Raut told PTI. “The Italian prince is on a visit to Mumbai tomorrow.
Welcome him with black flags,” the ailing Sena patriarch commanded his partymen through a statement.
Responding to the reported diktat issued by the Sena to its activists to stage black flags demonstrations during Rahul’s visit, Maharashtra Revenue Minister and former Shiv Sainik Narayan Rane said “They cannot stop Rahul Gandhi. And if they try to do it, the Sena leaders will not be allowed to move in Maharashtra.”
Reacting with disdain, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said in New Delhi that Congress and Rahul are not bothered about Shiv Sena’s rhetoric and their black flag protests.
“Where is the need to get excited on it (Shiv Sena’s utterances). Fortunately, the Shiv Sena leaders are not above law nor do they make law,” he said, indicating harsh action in the offing.
Apparently setting the stage for a tough political war on the issue of North Indian migrants through the black flag protests, Bal Thackeray’s directive came amid escalating war of words between Shiv Sena and Rahul who has taken that party head on with his remark that Mumbai is for all Indians and that all people have a right to go anywhere.
Against the backdrop of the personal and vicious attack by Shiv Sena leaders against Rahul and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who has also earned the ire of the party, Maharashtra Government has sought legal opinion on all controversial statements reported in the media in the last 15 days.
“We have asked the Law and Judiciary Department to check all the controversial visuals, statements that were reported in the media in last 15 days,” Home Minister R R Patil said. He said that all multiplexes planning to screen Khan’s movie “My Name is Khan” shall be provided police security.
Congress also said it would see how the saffron outfit stalled the screening of his film in Maharashtra.
“We will see to it how the goons of Bal Thackeray prevent theatres in Maharashtra from screening Shahrukh Khan’s film,” AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh told reporters. Khan received support from BJP and former Samajwadi Party secretary Amar Singh as well. Cong MP Sanjay Nirupam also demanded action against those threatening and intimidating theatre owners against the release of Khan’s film ‘My Name is Khan’ on February 12. He also appealed to the film industry not to bow to Shiv Sena’s intimidation.
-Agencies