'Don't speak to media or post videos without permission': Raj Thackeray to MNS workers

Mumbai, July 8 (IANS) Amid ongoing controversy over the imposition of Hindi from grade one and beating of non-Marathi speaking people, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder Raj Thackeray on Tuesday issued a directive to the party leaders and workers not to speak to the media and social media on any matter without his permission.

In his post on X, Raj Thackeray said, “A clear directive... No one from the party should interact with newspapers, news channels, or any digital media. Likewise, absolutely do not post videos of your reactions on social media. And those spokespersons officially assigned the responsibility of interacting with the media should also not engage with any form of media without consulting me or obtaining my permission, nor should they express themselves on social media.”

Raj Thackeray, who attended a joint rally with estranged brother and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday to celebrate the state government’s move to withdraw two government resolutions on the introduction of Hindi from grade one, also asked the party leaders and workers not to speak about an alliance with Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

Raj Thackeray’s directive comes hours after the party workers were released and restrained them from taking out a morcha in Mira Bhayander on the Marathi issue. They were later released after the MNS workers participated in the morcha organised by Marathi Ekikaran Samiti. The Shiv Sena UBT workers also joined the morcha.

Earlier, during the day, the MNS workers had a heated debate with the police as they tried to take out a morcha despite the police having denied permission. Some MNS leaders, including Arvind Jadhav, said that they were not allowed to take out a morcha when the traders were given permission.

However, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the police decision of denying permission to the MNS, saying it was done because the police refused to take the route the MNS planned.

“MNS leaders were deliberately asking for a route that would cause a clash. But the police were telling them to take the usual route. However, the MNS refused and took a stand that they would proceed on the route they selected, so the police denied permission to the morcha,” he said.

“Not only MNS but everyone is allowed to take out a morcha in the state. But if an attempt is made to take out a morcha and create a law and order issue, it will not be right. We want to stay united here, and we want to develop the state. If the morcha had been taken out through the right route, it would have been allowed. That permission will be given today, it will be given tomorrow too,” said CM Fadnavis.

Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, said that there may be a law and order issue at the place where permission had been sought by the MNS.

“Therefore, we have told them that you should change the venue. We will give you permission for the morcha. However, they are not ready to change the venue. Even today, we are ready to give permission. There are also some guidelines from the court. We have to follow those guidelines. We have to take care that there is no law and order issue.”

However, MNS stuck to its stand, and thereafter, the police granted the former permission to take out a morcha and later released the MNS activists.

However, the Shiv Sena leader and transport minister Pratap Sarnaik expressed displeasure over the police action. “The police should not work for one party. I will also talk to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. I have spoken to the Police Commissioner and expressed my displeasure. Although there were no orders from the Home Ministry, the police arrested them (Marathi Ekikaran Samiti activists) on whose orders, we are getting information. If you allow the traders to take out a morcha, then the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti was taking out a march. So what was your problem? Why were they not allowed to take out a morcha? Due to this, question marks are being raised about the Mahayuti government. What is happening in Mira Road is very wrong,” he commented.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dube has criticised Raj Thackeray even today. In a post on 'X', he said, "This is a WikiLeaks record from 2007. When Raj Thackeray does not get public support, he promotes goons; that is, hooliganism is his only motive, which he is doing out of fear of defeat before the upcoming BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation elections. Therefore, I oppose Thackeray's hooliganism. Now the limits of tolerance have been crossed."

On Monday, Dube sparked controversy in his fiery response to Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena founder Raj Thackeray said, “You people are surviving on our money. What kind of industries do you have? If you are courageous enough and beat those who speak Hindi, then you should beat all those who speak Urdu, Tamil, and Telugu. If you are such a big 'boss', come out of Maharashtra, come to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu - tumko patak patak ke marenge.”

Dube criticised the Thackeray brothers for targeting Hindi-speaking people in Mumbai. Reacting to the ongoing row over Marathi language enforcement, Dube accused the Thackeray cousins of "cheap politics" ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections and questioned their selective outrage.

Incidentally, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar distanced themselves from Dube’s statement, saying that it would be wrong to undermine the contribution of Marathi people and Maharashtra to the GDP.

--IANS

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