Protests against book and govt continue

The police detained senior Shiv Sena leaders Diwakar Raote and Milind Vaidya on Sunday for protesting against James Laine's book on Maratha king Shivaji outside Shiv Sena Bhavan at Dadar. Kiran Sonawane reports.

The police detained senior Shiv Sena leaders Diwakar Raote and Milind Vaidya on Sunday for protesting against James Laine's book on Maratha king Shivaji outside Shiv Sena Bhavan at Dadar.

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Sena's executive president Uddhav Thackeray said the party would not allow the sale of the controversial book, Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India, and threatened to burn copies of the book if they are found in the market.

"How should we bear insult to a personality who is so revered," Thackeray said. He warned people against selling or buying the book saying if this happened the Sena would be forced to "intervene".

Protests against the book continued in parts of Thane district too. The Sena and members of Maratha outfit Sambhaji Brigade staged protests at Ulhasnagar, Kalyan, Ambernath and Badlapur.

In Kalyan, Badlapur and Ambernath protestors burned the American author's effigy. Seven members of the Sambhaji brigade were arrested. In Ulhasnagar, Sainiks hanged Laine's effigy at the busy Shivaji Chowk. The police pulled the effigy down and arrested 25 Sena workers.

Subhash Bhosale, president of the Maratha Sena, said, "James Laine is just a puppet. The real culprits, who supplied him with information, are in Maharashtra. We want to kick such mentality out of Maharashtra.