Book on Shivaji: Mah govt to file review petition

Lucknow, Apr 27 (UNI) The Maharashtra government would file a review petition against the Bombay High Court ruling, lifting a ban on controversial book on Maratha icon Shivaji, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said here today.

Talking to reporters here, Mr Deshmukh said the government was in the process of seeking legal opinion on the issue and would soon file a review petition in the High Court or the Supreme Court against the judgement.

The Maharashtra CM is here to campaign for the Congress candidates in the ongoing Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

The Bombay High Court in a landmark judgment yesterday, set aside a decision by Maharashtra government to ban US author James Laine's controversial book ''Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India.'' Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had also quashed criminal proceedings against the author.

''The right of a citizen to be informed is part of our cherished fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression,'' ruled a full Bench of the HC, comprising Justice F I Rebello, Justice Vijaya Kapse-Tahilramani and Justice Abhay Oka.

The ban was imposed in 2004 after members of the Sambhaji Brigade, objecting to portions in the book, ransacked the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune where Laine was a visiting scholar.

In reply to a poser on Congress leaders in Maharashtra of UP origin, he said the coalition dharma and various other resons dictated representation of various members in his council of ministers. Mr Deshmukh was asked about allegations that politicians from UP were ignored in ministerial berths even as they strived hard to get votes for Congress in the Assembly elections.

The Congress leader also criticised attacks on Bihari migrants in Mumbai in the recent past and said his government and the Congress believed in free movement of people.

''I believe in turning everyone into a Mumbaikar, not attacking them,'' he asserted.

UNI