Tweet
Raj dubs HC ruling as ‘biased’, threatens to hold rallies on streets
Hours after the Bombay High Court denied his party permission to hold an election rally at Shivaji Park in north-central Mumbai, an upset MNS president Raj Thackeray on Friday dubbed the judicial ruling as “biased”. He threatened to hold his public rallies on the city streets in the run-up to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) poll.
While rejecting the MNS plea for permission to hold the election rally at Shivaji Park, a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice RV More had observed earlier in the day: “If permission is granted in one case then we would not be in a position to deny permission if any other political party approaches the court”.
The park being a “silence zone” where there are sound restrictions, it is mandatory for political parties or other organisations to seek the HC’s permission to hold a public rally or an event there. Following a May 2010 HC order, the State Government had declared the Shivaji Park as a “silence zone”. However, the Shiv Sena held Dussehra rallies — in 2010 and 2011 — at this venue after seeking permission from the high court on the ostentatious ground its rallies were cultural events.
That being the background, Raj was hoping that his party would be given permission by the high court to hold its election rally at Shivaji Park.
However, with the high court rejecting the MNS’ plea, Raj — unmindful of earning the wrath of the high court — spoke against the HC verdict, saying that it was an “one-sided” one.
“The HC should have comprehended the issues that lay behind our plea, before passing such an order. In the past, the court chose to give its order in favour of a particular party, while it is denying a similar permission to other party,” Raj said.
Hours after the Bombay High Court denied his party permission to hold an election rally at Shivaji Park in north-central Mumbai, an upset MNS president Raj Thackeray on Friday dubbed the judicial ruling as “biased”. He threatened to hold his public rallies on the city streets in the run-up to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) poll.
While rejecting the MNS plea for permission to hold the election rally at Shivaji Park, a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice RV More had observed earlier in the day: “If permission is granted in one case then we would not be in a position to deny permission if any other political party approaches the court”.
The park being a “silence zone” where there are sound restrictions, it is mandatory for political parties or other organisations to seek the HC’s permission to hold a public rally or an event there. Following a May 2010 HC order, the State Government had declared the Shivaji Park as a “silence zone”. However, the Shiv Sena held Dussehra rallies — in 2010 and 2011 — at this venue after seeking permission from the high court on the ostentatious ground its rallies were cultural events.
That being the background, Raj was hoping that his party would be given permission by the high court to hold its election rally at Shivaji Park.
However, with the high court rejecting the MNS’ plea, Raj — unmindful of earning the wrath of the high court — spoke against the HC verdict, saying that it was an “one-sided” one.
“The HC should have comprehended the issues that lay behind our plea, before passing such an order. In the past, the court chose to give its order in favour of a particular party, while it is denying a similar permission to other party,” Raj said.
