Following a protest march by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Pune where 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were reportedly raised, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray came out and predicted unrest if Hindus and Marathis decide to take matters into their hands.
If this happens, there will be unrest during the festive times. So it's better to put an end to these anti-national activities on an urgent basis," he said in a statement issued on Saturday.
If slogans such as ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ ‘ Allahu Akbar’ are going to be proclaimed in our Pune city, then our country’s Hindus are not going to keep quiet.
— Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) September 24, 2022
Rather, it’s better to urgently put an end to this disease of anti-national elements.@AmitShah @Dev_Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/pdpqZQFBqc
A video has surfaced on social media, which shows that a "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan was allegedly raised during a protest organised by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Pune, drawing a sharp reaction from the Maharashtra government, which said action would be taken against the slogan shouters.
The MNS chief, in his statement, that was shared on social media, claimed that the PFI members were arrested as they were funding terror activities in the country, and deemed it as an 'anti-national activity'.
Referring to those who were shouting 'pro-Pakistani' slogans, he said, "If such is their mental state, then take your religion and go to Pakistan. This kind of drama is not going to be allowed in our country."
"I earnestly request the central and state home ministers to take the sternest action against such outfits that even the phonetic sound of 'PA' will not be uttered from them. If not, then our country's Hindus will not take it lying down. I don't wish to go into the details of what may happen," he added.
The incident was condemned by top Maharashtra leaders, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis.
Shinde said such slogans will not be tolerated in the state, while Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Home Minister, said those who indulged in this sloganeering will not be spared.
Nana Patole, the state's Congress chief also condemned the incident.
"I condemn the raising of pro-Pakistan slogans in Pune. Divisive and communal organisations should be banned. The Congress wants peace and such tendencies to create a divide should be stopped," said the Congress chief.
In a massive crackdown on the PFI, multi-agency teams spearheaded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had, on Thursday, arrested 106 leaders and activists of the radical Islamic outfit in near-simultaneous raids in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. Maharashtra and Karnataka accounted for 20 arrests each, Tamil Nadu (10), Assam (9), Uttar Pradesh (8), Andhra Pradesh (5), Madhya Pradesh (4), Puducherry and Delhi (3 each) and Rajasthan (2).
The PFI, formed in 2006, claims to strive for a neo-social movement ostensibly for the empowerment of marginalised sections of India and is often accused by law enforcement agencies of promoting radical Islam.
(With agency inputs)