7 Thackeray faction leaders booked for abusing Shinde

Shinde became the chief minister with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s support this year after rebelling against his predecessor, Uddhav Thackeray

Seven leaders including lawmakers of Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction have been booked for allegedly using offensive language against the chief minister Eknath Shinde at an event in Thane on Sunday.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde. (ANI)

Around 2500 people attended the event. Anand Nikam, a local police officer, said the case was filed on one Dattaram Sakharam Gawas’s complaint including under the Indian Penal Code’s Sections 153 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 500 (defamation).

The seven include member of parliament Vinayak Raut and member of assembly Bhaskar Jadhav

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Chintamani Karkhanis accused the police of targeting their party workers under the pressure of the ruling party. “We do not fear the cases...” He said the Shine faction wants to stop their Mahaprabhodhan Yatra by lodging fake cases against them.

Shinde became the chief minister with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s support this year after rebelling against his predecessor, Uddhav Thackeray.