Denied Shivaji Park, Raj flies into rage

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray breathed fire at the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for its ‘biased’ stand on holding rallies at Shivaji Park, a silence zone.

Attacking Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s friendship, he said the NCP ministers did not object to Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally, but when it came to MNS rally, they gave negative opinion in court.

“In a democracy, people are the ultimate authority. As a citizen, am I not authorised to ask questions? Are you going to say no to Sena’s Dussehra rally this year? If a rule is applied to one, then the same should be applied for all,” he said.

His outburst came after the Bombay High Court on Friday refused permission to MNS to hold a rally at Shivaji Park before the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Ranjit More refused to grant permission to MNS, saying: “Once permission is granted, every political party and candidate will apply for permission…then we would not be in a position to deny permission to any party.”

The MNS had approached the high court through the president of Dadar division, Sandip Deshpande, seeking permission to hold a rally on February 13 at Shivaji Park after their application was rejected by the BMC.

Additional government pleader PG Lad opposed the petition saying that permission should not be granted to any political party ahead of BMC elections for rallies.

YS Jahagirdar, counsel for the MNS, argued that they would hold the rally during the day and would follow the noise pollution norms.

Sandeep Aole, advocate for NGO Wecom Trust — on whose petition Shivaji Park was declared as silence zone — argued that even after assuring the court that the noise pollution rules would be followed, political parties violate the rules by using loudspeakers. The Shiv Sena had got permission in 2010 and 2011 to hold Dussehra rallies at Shivaji Park. “There were blatant violations of noise pollution rules in the Dussehra rally held by Shiv Sena,” Aole said.

The court’s decision could affect the party’s plans to deliver a final punch to the election campaign as the MNS will have to look for another venue to hold its rally on February 13.

Raj, who had locked horns with the State Election Commission a few days ago, threatened to hold rallies on Mumbai’s streets.

“If rallies should not be organised on grounds, then we should be informed about other venues. I do not care how many cases you will file against us, but now I will hold rallies on Mumbai’s streets,” said Thackeray.

Questioning the court’s decision of to allow Sena’s annual Dussehra rally on the same venue, he said: “Shiv Sena was given permission to hold its rally, calling it their tradition. In spite of violation of anti-noise pollution norms and stipulated decibel levels in 2010, permission was once again given in 2011. Why is there separate set of rules for two parties?”