FIR against Raj Thackeray for making provocative statement

Mumbai, April 13: An FIR was registered against MNS chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly making a provocative statement at an election rally held in Yavatmal in support of his party candidate, police said on Saturday.

While addressing a rally in support of Raju Raje Patil on April 7, ahead of the April 10 elections, Raj allegedly exhorted farmers to "not commit suicide and instead kill those who have done injustice to you".

During his speech, the MNS chief had read out a purported suicide note left behind by a farmer in which he had urged people not to vote for Congress-NCP, saying the leaders of these parties were responsible for him to take this extreme step.

Thackeray appealed to the farmers not to commit suicide due to debt burden. "Don't commit suicide. It is not a solution to your problems. If at all you want to die, first kill those who have done injustice to you," he had said.

"There are 51 cases filed so far including the one against Raj Thackeray," Returning Officer Narendra Fulzele said without elaborating. According to sources, the FIR was filed on Friday by the Legal Cell of police at City Police Station.

PTI