Raj gets nod for Aurangabad, Uddhav to hold counter-rally at same venue
In the permission, Aurangabad police mandated that Raj Thackeray should avoid religious, casteist and regional references
Mumbai While Maharashtra Narvirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray finally got permission to hold the rally at Aurangabad on May 1, his cousin and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray declared that he will hold a counter-rally, ‘Uttar rally’, at the same venue.
In the permission, Aurangabad police mandated that Raj Thackeray should avoid religious, casteist and regional references. It said that there should not be more than 15,000 people at the venue and the timings would be 4:30 pm to 9:45 pm.
It also disallowed organisers from bringing arms like swords to the rally and workers from indulging in provocative sloganeering. It warned that any violation will attract action against the organisers.
The MNS has described the 16 restrictions imposed upon the rally as ridiculous and blamed the state government for trying to indirectly create hurdles. On Friday, the Republican Youth Morcha rushed to the court seeking to stop the rally.
MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande ridiculed the restrictions as unwarranted. “Rajsaheb will speak on whatever he wants. No one can dictate their terms to him,” said Deshpande. “Does the police department have the mechanism to count the people coming to the rally? They will have to allow all the workers who come to the rally. We don’t subscribe to this 15,000 people limit,” he added.
The MNS has made a grand preparation and was aiming to bring more than 85,000 people to the venue. Raj reached Pune from Mumbai with a lot of fanfare. He stopped at several places where MNS workers welcomed him with garlands. His son Amit Thackeray reached Aurangabad in the afternoon to oversee the preparation.
Tomorrow, Raj will proceed in the morning at 8:00 am from Pune to address the rally. He will first stop at Vadhu and pay tributes to the memorial of Sambhaji Maharaj. He will be accompanied by 100 to 150 cars during his six-hour journey to Aurangabad.
Former Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire said Raj Thackeray will be replied in his own language. “Uddhavsaheb will address Uttar Rally at this very ground and we will give a befitting reply,” said Khaire.
Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the rally was being hyped. “There are four rallies on May 1. Rallies keep happening and this is not something exceptional,” said Raut.
Republican Youth Morcha Aurangabad chief Jaising Kamble approached the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court (HC) against the rally on the ground that it will create a rift in the society.
The Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi has announced peace marches across Maharashtra on May 1 to counter the ill-effects of the rally. “Raj Thackeray will surely give a provocative speech and cause unrest among the masses. Our workers will organise peace marches and educate the people of his intentions,” said VBA state chief Rekha Thakur.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said it’s time Raj Thackeray praises the Maharashtra government too. “First he praised Gujarat CM, then Uttar Pradesh CM. However, he is not praising Maharashtra as his cousin in the chief minister,” said NCP leader Jayant Patil.
BJP state chief Chandrakant Patil taunted the state government for indirectly helping Raj Thackeray. “It was the state government which created curiosity regarding the rally by delaying permission. Now, all people across Maharashtra will hear Raj Thackeray either live or in person.”