MNS office-bearer from Pune resigns over Raj Thackeray's 'loudspeaker' statement
Pune(PTI): One more office-bearer of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's Pune unit has resigned over party chief Raj Thackeray's remarks on shutting down loudspeakers on mosques.
With the resignation of Maharashtra Navnirman Vahtuk Sena's vice president Shaibaz Punjabi on Tuesday, the number of Muslim members who have quit the MNS over the last two days reached two.
"I am with the MNS since its inception, but I resigned from the party on Tuesday over the statement made by Raj Thackeray about countering 'azaan' (call for Muslim prayer) from loudspeakers atop mosques with 'Hanuman Chalisa'," said Punjabi.
He said he cannot face people if he continues to remain in MNS.
"Many people from the Muslim community live in my area with whom I enjoy cordial relations," Punjabi said, adding that Raj Thackeray's statements on loudspeakers and madrasas (seminaries) are incorrect.
On Monday, Majeed Shaikh, a shakha president of MNS in Pune, resigned against "communalism" in the MNS.
Addressing a rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Saturday, Raj Thackeray had said," Why loudspeakers in mosques are played at such high volume? If this is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at higher volume".
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Justice Swarana K Sharma starts contempt case against Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia over excise posts
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi High Court judge Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on Thursday initiated criminal contempt proceedings against AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Durgesh Pathak, Sanjay Singh, Saurabh Bhardwaj and others over their "vilifying" social media posts against her in relation to the excise policy case.
Justice Sharma said the former Delhi chief minister "orchestrated a calculated campaign" of vilification against her on social media instead of pursuing his legal remedies and clarified that the CBI's petition against the discharge of all accused persons would now be taken up by another bench.
The judge took exception to several social media posts by the proposed contemnors that attributed "political allegiance" to her and allegedly targeted her by posting a misleading "edited" video of a speech given by her at an educational institution in Varanasi.
"Arvind Kejriwal sought to destroy my reputation instead of availing legal remedies after I refused to recuse and a deliberate attempt to lower the court's authority can't be permitted in guise of free speech," Justice Sharma said.
She clarified that she was not recusing herself but was only transferring the case to another bench as she has initiated the contempt proceedings.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for CBI, thanked Justice Sharma for upholding the institution's dignity.
