Bombay High Court Challenges PIL Seeking FIR Against Raj Thackeray & Derecognition of His Party

The Bombay High Court has raised serious doubts regarding the maintainability of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) asking for registration of an FIR against Raj Thackeray and his party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and also for the derecognition of the party. A petition by Ghanshyam Upadhyaya alleges that party workers have been harassing Hindi-speaking people in cities like Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Pune, etc., restricting their ability to speak or communicate in Hindi, and in effect imposing Marathi and fomenting division. Live Law The PIL further contends that incitement to violence, destruction of business premises, and assault have become common, especially around civic elections. Live Law The state had recently adopted a policy making Hindi compulsory as the third language in primary schools, which the petitioner says has been used politically to exacerbate tensions. The bench (Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar & Justice Gautam Ankhad) asked the petitioner to satisfy legal criteria for maintainability before proceeding further. Hearing on the issue of maintainability is yet to be set.