Mumbai: Two city-based advocates, Gunaratan Sadavarte and Jaishri Patil, have filed a police complaint against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, alleging that he incited communal disharmony by opposing the state government's decision to make Hindi compulsory in primary schools.

The advocates have demanded the registration of an FIR and the immediate arrest of Thackeray, citing his alleged role in encouraging public unrest and violation of education laws. The controversy stems from the April 16 directive of the Mahayuti government, which mandates Hindi education in all primary schools, a move aligned with the central government’s New Education Policy.

MNS workers staged protests against the order and publicly burned copies of the government notification. Sadavarte and Patil, affiliated with the Hindustan Mazdoor Sangh, stated in their written complaint to Shivaji Park police that such actions are unlawful and disruptive to children's right to education, which is guaranteed under the Constitution and provided free by the state.

They further alleged that Thackeray is instigating his party cadres to defy the government policy and that MNS supporters are conducting demonstrations without police permission and threatening sellers of Hindi textbooks. The advocates also claimed they have received threats from unknown individuals following their complaint.

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Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday said the Congress-led UDF’s sweeping victory in the Kerala Assembly polls was a clear verdict against the “arrogance”, corruption, and nepotism of the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

Addressing a press conference as counting of votes for all 140 Assembly constituencies neared completion, Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against what he termed “10 years of misrule” by the Left government.

He claimed that Vijayan’s victory in his home constituency, Dharmadam, was “only technical”, alleging that the CM trailed the UDF candidate in the initial rounds of counting and failed to secure a majority in his own village.

“He just escaped. He suffered a setback even in his home turf. He was the only person who did not realise the people’s mood in this election,” Venugopal said.

Alleging that the CPI(M) and the LDF had resorted to “communal and opportunistic politics”, he further claimed that the ruling front had entered into a “secret understanding” with the BJP in a bid to retain power for a third consecutive term.

He said that when a government driven by power and arrogance attempts to align with anyone to stay in office, even its own cadre turns against it.

Referring to the results, Venugopal said that while the UDF expected rebel CPI(M) leaders, including K Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur, to impact the vote share, their victories came as a surprise.

Describing the UDF’s performance as a “historic victory”, he attributed it to coordinated teamwork, grassroots mobilisation, and the dedication of party workers, adding that the alliance accepted the mandate “with humility”.

Venugopal also credited Rahul Gandhi’s campaign guarantees, calling them a “trump card” that helped voters focus on real issues and reject what he described as the LDF’s “false narratives”.

He claimed that the Congress witnessed one of its lowest levels of rebellion in this election, which contributed to the alliance’s strong performance.

The senior Congress leader further alleged that the BJP managed to win two seats with the help of the CPI(M), and asserted that forces attempting to divide society on communal lines should “learn a lesson” from Kerala’s verdict.

“This is the real Kerala story,” he said.

On the question of the next Chief Minister, Venugopal said the party leadership would decide at the earliest after due consultations.

The counting of votes began on Monday morning for all 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF secured a decisive majority, defeating the CPI(M)-led LDF, which was seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.