Why Did SP's Abu Azmi Criticize MNS Protests at Mira Road?

Mumbai, July 8 (NationPress) The President of the Maharashtra Samajwadi Party and Mumbai MLA, Abu Asim Azmi, on Tuesday vehemently condemned the protests staged by workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, at Mira Road in Thane, deeming their actions unlawful and a travesty of the legal system.

This incident follows the detention of several MNS workers by police during a march organized to address the backlash from the recent ‘slapgate’ controversy.

The uproar began when MNS members reportedly assaulted a shopkeeper for not conversing in Marathi.

The rally, which received support from the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti, heightened tensions in the Mira-Bhayandar region, leading to a police intervention.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis noted that while permission for the rally was granted, MNS demanded a specific route that could jeopardize public order.

In a statement to reporters, Azmi criticized the persistent violent conduct of MNS workers.

“They are making a mockery of the law. They assume the government will not take action against them. Previously, they have attacked taxi drivers and even committed murders, yet there has been no serious repercussions,” he stated.

Regarding the recent assault, Azmi remarked, “They attacked a shopkeeper, who fortunately was robust and hails from Rajasthan. But consider if it had been a vulnerable rickshaw driver or a vegetable vendor. Such conduct is intolerable.”

He commended the assaulted shopkeeper for standing up against the perpetrators.

“He protested the humiliation in front of the media, and I applaud his bravery. However, now MNS workers are protesting that protest — which is against the law. The government must respond decisively. Legal action should be taken against those who insult Marathi, not through violence.”

In the meantime, state Minister and Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik vehemently criticized the police for obstructing the Marathi morcha, labeling their actions as unwarranted and inconsistent with any governmental directives.

Speaking to the media in Thane, Sarnaik stated, “The police action was entirely unjustifiable. The government has not issued any orders to suppress a peaceful march aimed at promoting Marathi pride. The manner in which the police are detaining individuals raises suspicions that they are operating under some party agenda.”

He further mentioned that he would address the matter with Chief Minister Fadnavis, expressing concern over the premature detentions of demonstrators.

“The way police halted the rally and arrested individuals before it even commenced was unnecessary. Had the march been permitted to proceed peacefully, there would have been no threat to public order,” he expressed.

Criticizing the police response, Sarnaik asserted, “Such excessive force from the police is unacceptable. If Marathi-speaking citizens sought permission for a peaceful morcha, the authorities should have granted it. This reflects a failure at the local police level,” he concluded.