Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai/New Delhi: Upping the ante in the
"Mumbai for all" row, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Thursday
ordered party cadres to greet Rahul Gandhi with black flags to
mark their protests when he visits Mumbai tomorrow after the
unfazed Congress leader stuck to his schedule.
Gearing up for the Congress leader's visit, authorities
have tightened security at venues during his interactions with
youths and slum dwellers even as Maharashtra Chief Minister
Ashok Chavan warned of strict action if anyone takes law into
their hands.
“The Congress leader has
SPG cover and the state police machinery will also be in place
during his visit," Chavan told reporters in Pune. "Nowhere in Indian politics, such a low level of
personal allegations is seen. I condemn their utterances," headed.
Section 144 has been imposed on the routes that the Congress General Secretary will travel on. Reports suggest some Shiv Sainiks have been taken in preventive detention.
"We have taken all precautions to ensure that the
programmes of Rahul Gandhi pass off peacefully. Adequate
number of policemen have been deployed at these places," City
Police Commissioner D Sivanandhan said.
Stern action would be taken against those taking law
into their hands, he said. Police have been maintaining strict vigilance in and around the Bhaidas Hall in suburban Vile Parle and Ramabai Nagar slum colony in Ghatkopar, where Rahul's programmes were scheduled, and sniffer dogs have been put into service.
Thorough checking in these localities were conducted
and frisking of suspicious persons would be done.
Bal Thackeray has asked Sena workers to show black
flags to Rahul during his visit to the city, senior party
leader Sanjay Raut told PTI. "The Italian prince is on a visit to Mumbai tomorrow.
Welcome him with black flags," the ailing Sena patriarch
commanded his partymen through a statement.
Responding to the reported diktat issued by the Sena to
its activists to stage black flags demonstrations during
Rahul's visit, Maharashtra Revenue Minister and former Shiv Sainik Narayan Rane said "They cannot stop Rahul Gandhi. And if they try to do it, the Sena leaders will not be allowed to move in Maharashtra."
Reacting with disdain, Congress spokesman Abhishek
Singhvi said in New Delhi that Congress and Rahul are not
bothered about Shiv Sena's rhetoric and their black flag
protests.
"Where is the need to get excited on it (Shiv Sena's
utterances). Fortunately, the Shiv Sena leaders are not above
law nor do they make law," he said, indicating harsh action in the offing.
Apparently setting the stage for a tough political war
on the issue of North Indian migrants through the black flag
protests, Bal Thackeray's directive came amid escalating war of
words between Shiv Sena and Rahul who has taken that party
head on with his remark that Mumbai is for all Indians and
that all people have a right to go anywhere.
Against the backdrop of the personal and vicious attack
by Shiv Sena leaders against Rahul and Bollywood star Shah
Rukh Khan, who has also earned the ire of the party,
Maharashtra Government has sought legal opinion on all
controversial statements reported in the media in the last 15
days.
"We have asked the Law and Judiciary Department to check
all the controversial visuals, statements that were reported
in the media in last 15 days," Home Minister R R Patil said. He said that all multiplexes planning to screen Khan's movie "My Name is Khan" shall be provided police security.
Congress also said it would see how the saffron outfit
stalled the screening of his film in Maharashtra.
"We will see to it how the goons of Bal Thackeray prevent
theatres in Maharashtra from screening Shahrukh Khan's film,"
AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh told reporters. Khan received support from BJP and former Samajwadi Party secretary Amar Singh as well. Cong MP Sanjay Nirupam also demanded action against those threatening and
intimidating theatre owners against the release of Khan's film
'My Name is Khan' on February 12.
He also appealed to the film industry not to bow to
Shiv Sena's intimidation.
Agencies inputs
First Published: Friday, February 05, 2010, 00:04