Mumbai stampede: 'Clear mess in 15 days or face consequences', Raj Thackeray warns Railways

Mumbai: Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Thursday staged a peaceful protest against the September 29 stampede at Parel-Elphinstone Road station, which claimed at least 23 lives.

According to reports, the MNS chief today warned the Railways to evict all hawkers from foot-over bridges across Mumbai's suburban rail network in 15 days or face serious consequences.

Addressing a gathering of his supporters, the MNS chief said that this time the protest was peaceful but if the government fails to clear the mess in 15 days, it could turn violent.

The MNS leader attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi again, asking "how long will he continue to tell lies" to the country.

Thackeray said the country was being pushed into crises on all fronts, brought about by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.

"Modi has been lying and misleading the people of this country. Now I realize that when I visited Gujarat a few years ago at the behest of (industrialist) Ratan Tata when Modi was the CM, I was shown a misleading picture of the development there," Thackeray told his supporters.

He reiterated that the people of the country had lost faith in Modi, who "only keeps giving speeches daily - how much is he going to speak?" 

The MNS chief said unless the commuters of Mumbai were given better amenities and facilities, the party`s next agitation "would not be a peaceful one".

MNS chief Raj Thackeray earlier joined the march from Metro station and walked up to the Western Railway headquarters.

The MNS-led march disrupted traffic in various parts of South Mumbai.

Earlier, Mumbai Police had denied permission to MNS for march to Western Railways headquarters, however, the party went ahead with the rally.

MNS workers turned up in large numbers to participate in the march that began around 1 pm.