The Supreme Court on Monday asked Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray to desist from making provocative speeches targeting north Indians, which has led to several criminal cases being lodged against him in different parts of the country.
“This (filing of criminal cases)
will continue against you,” a bench comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice B.S. Chauhan said.
“Why don’t you stop this sort of things? You go on making such statements,” the court added.
The observations by the bench was made during the petition filed by Thackeray seeking shifting of the three cases filed in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand recently against him to the national capital.
“What is the guarantee that in future you will not make such statements,” the bench said while issuing notices to those who have filed complaints against the MNS chief for his alleged action and speeches promoting animosity among citizens.
The case filed in Mandasor in Madhya Pradesh was in connection with the incident in which Samajwadi Party Member of Legislative Assembly Abu Azmi was slapped by MNS legislators in the Maharashtra Assembly, allegedly at the instance of Thackeray.
MNS spokesperson Nitin Sardesai denied any such strictures were passed.
“The court upheld our arguments and said nothing adverse,” said Sardesai.