Sena Supremo arrested and released on bail

Sep 22: Shiv Sena supreme Bal Thackeray was arrested and released on bail on Friday afternoon when a Mumbai local court issued bailable warrant against him for not appearing in a criminal case.

The local police executing the order arrested Thackeray at his Kala Nagar residence and soon released him on bail with a personal bond of Rs 10,000. A case has been registered against him for his controversial remarks against the minority in Mumbai city especially pointing the North Indians in a function.

Bal Thackeray is facing a case filed by an NCP activist Munna Tripathi demanding action against Thackeray for making provocative speech against the minority in the city. In fact on June 19, 2006 the Sena chief in the foundation day ceremony of his party did deliver a controversial speech that later published in his own party’s booklet “Samna” in detail.

The court had sent summons three times before the arrest to Thackeray but he was not bothered to respond thereby came the court order to issue a bailable warrant.

Bal Thackeray as the founder of Shiv Sena has been raising voice against the influence of non-Marathi people in Mumbai, especially the South and North Indians. His party though claims of doing Marathi development work but remains always in controversy for his remarks against minorities including Muslim community.

His party’s newsletter ‘Samna’ in which he himself is the editor regularly publishes editorials that reflect his party’s ideology and those are always a matter of debate and concern for human rights groups.

Human rights activists have insisted on government many times before to take legal action against Bal Thackeray for his inflammatory writings in the newspaper.

Meanwhile, the present case is still pending in the court and Bal Thackeray may have to appear in the court in the coming days.