Plea against MNS, Raj Thackeray: SC asks petitioner to move Bombay HC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked a petitioner to move the Bombay High Court with his plea accusing Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray of hate speech and inciting violence against the north Indian community.

A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran asked Sunil Shukla, national president of the Uttar Bhartiya Vikas Sena, the reason of not moving the high court with his grievances.

“Is the Bombay High Court on vacation?” the CJI asked, prompting Shukla’s lawyer to withdraw the plea.

The bench, without expressing any opinion on the merits, allowed the petitioner to withdraw the plea and move the high court.

Shukla's plea alleged the Maharashtra government and the police didn't respond to his repeated requests to register criminal cases against MNS cadres who have resorted to violence, threats to life and harassment against him, in the past.

His advocacy for the rights of north Indians had made him a target for threats, harassment, and physical intimidation by the MNS and its affiliated groups, the plea added.

On March 30, the plea said, during a Gudi Padwa rally, Raj Thackeray delivered an inflammatory speech which incited violence against north Indians for speaking Hindi.

The petition said the speech was broadcast, and led to violent attacks on Hindi-speaking employees at multiple locations in Mumbai, including Powai and D-Mart in Versova.

“Prior to such speech too, the petitioner received serious threats, including a chilling message on Twitter that openly incited his murder, and over 100 anonymous phone calls threatening his life. On October 6, 2024, a group of approximately 30 individuals affiliated with MNS attempted to ransack the office premises of the petitioner’s political party," the petitioner said.

Shukla claimed despite several written complaints to the Maharashtra chief minister, DGP and police commissioner besides the Election Commission of India, no FIR was registered.