The Mumbai police on Tuesday filed 9 FIRs whereas two had been filed by Thane police for violating the ban imposed on Dahi Handi celebrations by the Maharashtra state authorities.
As many as 120 individuals had been named in these FIRs of which 85 had been detained by Mumbai police. Some distinguished leaders of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) like Bala Nandgaonkar, Akhil Chitre and Sandeep Deshpande had been additionally arrested.
MNS chief breaks handi close to CM’s residence
A case has been registered in opposition to MNS vp Akhil Chitre and one other occasion employee Omkar Khandekar for breaking a Dahi handi close to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s residence in suburban Bandra.
In a video, the duo was seen breaking a Dahi Handi hanging low from a tree in a symbolic gesture close to Kalanagar junction, off the Western Express Highway at Bandra East. Chitre has been requested to report back to the Kherwadi police station for violating the rules.
In a press release to the PTI, Chitre stated, “Police booked me and one more party worker under section 188 (Disobeying the order of public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and asked us to report to the Kherwadi police station. We will complete all the legal formalities.”
Several MNS employees booked
Mumbai police on Tuesday morning had detained 9 MNS employees together with 5 ladies for trying to arrange a Dahi Handi program close to Ghatkopar hyperlink highway.
A gaggle of 20-25 MNS employees was detained at Shivaji Park together with chief Sandeep Deshpande for attempting to arrange a 15-minute ritual. At Bhandup too one other 25 occasion employees had been arrested for comparable violations.
Around 13 to 14 individuals together with a number of MNS karyakartas had been booked by Kalachowky police as a precaution as they’d introduced organizing Dahi Handi within the space.
Few others had been arrested for breaking Dahi Handi at Vartak Nagar and at Vishnu Nagar within the Naupada space. They had been all launched on bail later.
Raj Thackeray slams Maharashtra authorities
MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday alleged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi authorities is utilizing the Covid-19 disaster to their profit. While talking with the media, he additionally accused the state authorities of ‘selectively relaxing COVID-19 rules’ for some individuals.
“The actions of the Maharashtra government can be summed up in the words of veteran journalist P. Sainath who wrote a book Everybody Loves a Good Drought. The current actions of the State government are like ‘everybody loves a good lockdown’,” remarked Raj Thackeray after a number of of his occasion employees had been arrested for going in opposition to the federal government’s pointers.
Taking a dig on the MVA, he additional stated, “The arrest of the workers seems like a revenge politics (by the government). No action was taken against any leader of the Maha Vikas Aghadi for participating in public functions where no guidelines regarding the COVID-appropriate behaviour was followed.”
He additionally slammed the Uddhav Thackeray-led authorities for holding the temples shut. “Morchas are not allowed, protests are not allowed and temples are shut. Tell me where we don’t have crowds? Rallies are on. The yatras are held. Street fights between political workers are on. We have seen it over Narayan Rane’s yatra. Sena legislator Bhaskar Jadhav’s son visits a temple, but others are not allowed. Why?” questioned the MNS chief.
“Government not anti-Hindu” claims Maharashtra CM
After dealing with extreme criticism from the opposition for imposing a ban on the Hindu pageant celebrations, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday claimed that his authorities isn’t “anti-Hindu”. He stated that the steps taken weren’t in opposition to any pageant, however an try and comprise the unfold of the pandemic.
Shifting the blame on the Centre, Thackeray in a digital occasion remarked, “Those who are saying that our government is anti-Hindu, I want to show them a letter from the Centre which specifically asks to avoid crowding during Dahi Handi and Ganesh festival.”
“The government is not against any festival but is against the coronavirus. So those who want to agitate should protest against coronavirus,” he added additional.
Vilifying the Hindu sentiments and drawing false equivalence, the CM stated, “Some people have celebrated Dahi Handi. But this is not a fight for the country’s independence. What great freedom did they get by breaking Covid norms? Had they agitated for freedom, it would have been different.”
“Curbs on Ganeshotsav will not be tolerated” says BJP
After a muted Dahi Handi, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar issued a warning on Tuesday saying if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) authorities tries to cease the Ganeshotshav, there might be retaliation from the occasion.
“The state government on Tuesday used police force, filed cases and arrested BJP workers who wanted to celebrate Dahi Handi while observing all Covid-19 norms. Its highhandedness went on without protest. But if it tries to stop Ganesh celebrations, BJP will not tolerate it. It will strongly retaliate,” stated Shelar whereas talking with the media.
He additionally condemned the state authorities for utilizing police pressure to dampen the Hindu spirit.
“Festivals are being banned on the pretext that it draws crowd, which is not good amid the pandemic. If that is the case, why are discos, bars and liquor shops being allowed to stay open? What about the huge crowd in these places?” questioned Shelar.
BJP leaders had demanded to be allowed to rejoice Dahi Handi with vaccinated individuals.
Police workforce at BJP chief’s residence
A workforce of Mumbai police on Tuesday had reached the residence of Maharashtra BJP chief Ram Kadam after he had introduced organizing Dahi Handi celebrations on the event of Janmashtami. He had additionally accused the state authorities of placing him underneath home arrest and limiting his motion.
Kadam had sought permission to rejoice the pageant with simply 5 individuals all of whom had been totally vaccinated. “This Hindu tradition is very old and we need to keep the tradition alive. We won’t be breaking any Covid protocols. But I am not being allowed to move out from my house,” had alleged Kadam.