HC pulls up Mah Govt on Raj issue

Mumbai, Sep 25 (UNI) Bombay High Court today reprimanded state government for its failure to tackle the threats issued by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray to business establishments over putting up Marathi signboards and his activists taking the law into his own hand.

While hearing the petition filed by Federation of Retail Traders' Welfare Association (FRTWA) secretary Viren Shah, a division bench of Justices J N Patel and K K Tated criticised and expressed its dissatisfacation about the government's inaction against hooliganism of the MNS activists last month.

''Why no action has been taken against respondent number six (Raj Thackeray)?....Are some people 'untouchable' for you?'' he asked as the government failed to file a proper reply regarding the action taken.

The court, while questioning the state government's role, observed that all those who were terrorising the common public and creating law and order problems were given a free hand.

The bench even questioned state Home Minister R R Patil's role in the entire episode for his lack of support to Joint Commissioner of Police K L Prasad, who is trying to enforce the law and order in the city.

''Your Home Minister has failed to back up the police officer,'' the court said.

''If you don't have a political will, then give that message to the people that we cannot do anything,'' an anguished Justice Patel observed.

The court set a deadline of October 16 for the government to initiate proceedings against Mr Thackeray.

The FRTWA moved the court seeking directions to initiate action against Mr Thackeray and his party activists for circulating a threatening letter to business establishments, ordering them to display their signboards in Marathi.

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