MUMBAI: A day after MNS chief Raj Thackeray held a rally in Pune without obtaining necessary permission, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said on Monday that strict action would be taken against such persons.
"Nobody must think that they are above the law and if anyone feels so, the state administration will take strict action against them as per law," Patil said on the sidelines of a function here this evening.
Asked if the government is inept at taking action against Raj, whose rallies are getting a big response, Patil replied "we had arrested him last time and charged him with promoting enmity between people when we gathered proper evidence against him."
Patil, who also holds the Home portfolio, said the administration will take action against Raj after the receipt of a report from the Pune police.
"I cannot comment if his speech was derogatory or not or if he had taken permission or not. Our action will depend on a report from Pune police," Patil said.
Twenty eight Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists were arrested for organising the rally in Pune defying the ban imposed to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
Raj, who had led a violent anti-north Indian campaign in February, continued his tirade against them at the rally on Sunday, targeting students from northern states who come for higher education in Pune. The local students are left in the lurch due to the donation-paying outside students, he had said.
