Mumbai, March 9: The recent verbal spat between Maharashta Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray that led to clashes between NCP and MNS workers has prompted social activist Hemant Patil to file a PIL against the two leaders.
The Bombay High Court Friday admitted the PIL demanding action against Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.
The petitioner, social activist Hemant Patil has also demanded that the court direct the state police chief or any other investigation agency or commission to conduct a detailed probe into these verbal spats which resulted in violent outbursts.
Patil has named the state of Maharashtra, the police chief, Home Minister R. R. Patil, Pawar and Thackeray as respondents in the petition, which is likely to come for hearing shortly.
In the PIL, which came up before a division bench of Justice A.M. Khanvilkar and Justice A.P. Bhangale, Patil has said that Thackeray, who recently undertook a tour of different parts of the state, has been engaged in a verbal spat with Pawar and others.
When Thackeray's vehicular convoy was passing in Ahmednagar Feb 27, it was shown black flags and pelted with stones, allegedly by activists of Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Following this incident, there were violent reactions by MNS workers who clashed with NCP activists all over Maharashtra, causing widespread damage to public and private properties.
The tempers cooled only after fervent appeals by NCP president Sharad Pawar and state NCP chief Madhukarrao Pichad and Thackeray also backtracked on his aggressive plans.
Patil contended out that besides Pawar, Thackeray has targeted the NCP and its chief and union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and state Home Minister Patil, but there has been no action on the part of the authorities.
"In the interest of justice, the court direct respondents (the police chief, state home minister) to initiate action against respondents (Thackeray and Pawar) for committing breach of peace," Patil demanded in the PIL.
(With IANS inputs)
