MUMBAI, May 3:
Aurangabad Police Commissioner will take appropriate legal action against MNS leader Raj Thackeray over his speech against loudspeakers atop mosques, Maharashtra Director General of Police Rajnish Seth said.
“The Aurangabad CP is looking into the speech. He will take whatever legal action that is needed today itself,” the DGP told reporters.
Notices under section 149 of CrPC (preventing cognizable offences) have been issued to over 13,000 people, Seth said, two days after Thackeray, at a rally in Aurangabad, called for “silencing” loudspeakers from the mosques from May 4.
In the rally, Thackeray had asked people to play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques from May 4 if loudspeakers there were not removed.
An official said the Aurangabad police have issued notices to MNS district president Sumeet Khambekar and another local party functionary Satnam Singh Gulati under CrPC section 149, saying action will be taken if law is violated.
When asked about permission to Raj Thackeray’s next rally, DGP Seth said if anybody seeks nod for rally at a certain place, permission will be given according to the situation.
Earlier on Tuesday, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Seth and senior police officials reviewed the law-and-order situation in the backdrop of the MNS chief’s deadline.
“Maharashtra police are capable of handling any kind of law-and-order situation. SRPF and Home Guards have been deployed in the state,” Seth said.
“I appeal everyone to maintain peace,” he added.
Seth said police are prepared to maintain law and order in the state and stern action will be taken against anyone seeking to disturb communal harmony.
The leaves of all police personnel have been cancelled, he said.
Various meetings of mohalla and peace committees were conducted across the state and garnered a positive response, the official said.
Seth also said that the Eid celebrations were going on peacefully across the state on Tuesday.
Police are fully prepared to tackle the situation in the state and have been given clear instructions to take stern action against those creating trouble, he said.
Police have taken pre-emptive action against anti-social elements to avoid any untoward incident, he said.
Meanwhile, MNS Aurang-abad unit head Sumeet Khambekar told reporters that “any orders of party chief Raj Thackeray will be followed”. (PTI)
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