Agencies
Mumbai, Feb 4:
Mumbai continued to simmer on Monday in the aftermath of the violence that was triggered by a remark made by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray.
Hours after two men - allegedly MNS workers - attacked actor Amitabh Bachchan's Juhu residence 'Prateeksha', party workers burnt the actor's effigy in city's Sivaji Park.
MNS workers went on a rampage, shouting slogans and setting a taxi on fire all while demonstrating against the superstar.
In the last few days, Raj, the estranged nephew of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, has repeatedly ridiculed people from north India settled in Mumbai and also Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who is close to the Samajwadi Party, the leading opposition party in Uttar Pradesh.
Raj's controversial remarks on north Indian population in the state led to clashes in parts of Maharashtra on Sunday.
While the state government ordered a high-level probe into the violence, the Uttar Bharatiya Development Forum - an umbrella organisation of various groups of north Indians in the city - called for a protest closure.
CM warns of stern action
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Monday said stern action would be taken against the guilty because the violence should not spread. "There will be full protection for those living in Mumbai."
However, MNS activists were seen taking to streets and assaulting taxi drivers in Dadar as shown in the latest visuals of Times Now .
Amar lodges FIR
Samajwadi party general secretary Amar Singh adopted a two-pronged offensive against MNS chief Raj Thackeray. Singh first lodged an FIR against Thackeray in the wee hours on Monday accusing him of encouraging attacks on North Indians.
Later, he petitioned the Election Commission in Delhi demanding that MNS be de-recognised and barred from contesting elections since its leader "does not believe in Indian Constitution".
23 NMS, SP workers jailed
A court in Mumbai on Monday sent 23 activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Samajwadi Party to 14 days' judicial custody for their involvement in the violent clashes that rocked the city on Sunday. They were, however, released on bail soon after.
Metropolitan Magistrate R Agarwal remanded the activists to judicial custody till February 18 on a police application. But minutes later, he released them on bail of Rs 3,000 each.
Activists of MNS, the party floated by Raj Thackeray, went on the rampage on Sunday during a Samajwadi Party rally addressed by party supreme Mulayam Singh Yadav at Shivaji Park in Dadar, central Mumbai, considered to be the turf of the Shiv Sena.
MNS activists attacked several taxi drivers and street vendors, who are mostly from north India. Many shops were forcibly shut down by the violent mob just before the rally - which was also addressed by United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) leaders, including Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah.
MNS activists targeted taxis sporting Samajwadi Party flags and assaulted a cabbie.
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