MNS can't hold city to ransom | Same rule in B'lore

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday told the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) it cannot "hold the people to ransom" and warned it against using violence to enforce Marathi signboards in Mumbai.

The court, which was hearing an application filed by a trade association, restrained MNS leader Raj Thackeray and his party members from "in any manner whatsoever disturbing" traders in the city, defacing or damaging their properties and assaulting or threatening them.

A division bench comprising Justices J N Patel and K K Tated also restrained Raj personally from giving any provocative or intimidating public speech regarding the issue of putting up signboards in Marathi in commercial establishments and shops.

Viren Shah, Secretary of Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association, has filed a petition which alleges that MNS had sent letters to shopkeepers warning them to display signboards in Marathi or they would be taught “a lesson in their own way''. The MNS deadline ends on Thursday.

"There is a hidden threat in this letter," Justice Patel said, asking what action was taken against Raj and whether "this gentleman has been interrogated."

"Nobody can hold the people to ransom," Patel said.

The court ordered the police commissioners of Mumbai and Thane to safeguard the petitioners and to protect them from violence by MNS workers.

The court asked the state government to explain what it had done to protect traders and flayed it for failing to tackle MNS activists. It asked the government to announce a compensation package to the shopkeepers, who were targeted by the MNS for not displaying boards in Marathi.

The government lawyer told the court that 811 MNS activists had been arrested since August 26 and government was committed to maintaining law and order.

Thackeray has not commented on the court’s order but indicated that the MNS campaign for Marathi signboards would continue. “Whatever happened has happened. From now on, Maharashtra is for Marathi people (and) all those who are staying here from outside should remember this. Who is Shah to go to the court on an issue of Marathi pride,” he said.