A writ petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking action against Raj Thackeray, the President of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), for his aggressive stance on the Marathi language issue. The petition also demands the derecognition of the MNS party. Sunil Shukla, the national president of the Uttar Bhartiya Vikas Sena, a political party advocating for the rights of North Indians in Maharashtra, has filed the petition.
The petition alleges that Raj Thackeray's speech during the Gudi Padwa rally, where he directed MNS workers to monitor the use of Marathi in banks and businesses across Maharashtra, led to active participation from party members. These workers reportedly visited various banks to ensure the use of Marathi, intimidating officers in the process. Incidents of chaos and threats against non-Marathi-speaking officers have been reported. The Bank Officers Association had expressed its displeasure over these events. Following this, Raj Thackeray issued a statement instructing his workers to halt the protests temporarily.
The petition further claims that Raj Thackeray's actions and his speech incited hatred and violence against non-Marathi-speaking individuals, particularly North Indians. It specifically references Thackeray's speech on March 30, 2025, during a Gudi Padwa gathering, which allegedly fueled violence against North Indians working in public spaces like malls and banks. The petition argues that the speech led to attacks in Mumbai, including incidents in Powai and at D-Mart in Versova, where Hindi-speaking staff were assaulted.
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The petition also highlights the lack of legal action despite repeated complaints to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, senior police officials, and the Election Commission. It claims that no FIR has been registered despite the severity of the incidents, and no action has been taken against those responsible.
The petition includes specific demands for the following actions:
Registration of an FIR and initiation of a criminal investigation.
Direction to the Election Commission of India to consider derecognizing the MNS.
Appointment of an independent body or Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct an impartial investigation into the matter.
Restraint on Raj Thackeray from making provocative statements that could disturb public order during the investigation.