Cong leader booked for Maha rally
It is unclear whether sections of inciting violence are added against Nirupam Cops say Nirupam’s event for hawkers did not have prior permission
Mumbai, Oct. 29: Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam has been booked for addressing a rally of hawkers in suburban Malad on Saturday without securing prior permission of the police, an official said on Sunday.
After Mr Nirupam addressed the rally, workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) who were trying to evict hawkers from outside the Malad railway station were assaulted in afternoon. The police have arrested seven hawkers under various sections of the IPC, including 307 (attempt to murder). “A case has been registered against Sanjay Nirupam at Malad police station for holding the rally without a prior permission,” Mumbai police spokesperson and DCP Deepak Devraj said.
However, it is not clear whether sections of inciting violence are added against Mr Nirupam. In
his address, the Congress leader had said that hawkers will not tolerate hooliganism of MNS activists.
“I would not tolerate such high-handedness of MNS leaders against hawkers. The hawkers are capable enough to retaliate to any aggression from MNS,” he said. After the rally, hawkers allegedly attacked MNS workers, in which one activist received head injuries.
Heavy security was deployed fearing a backlash from the MNS. After MNS chief Raj Thackeray addressed a rally in south Mumbai earlier this month over the death of 23 people in a stampede on the foot over bridge at Elphinstone Road railway station last month.