Shivaji & Afzal: Sena back with posters,cops out to stop them

The Sena,however,has threatened to go ahead without police permission.

The police on Saturday alerted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) against permitting the planned display without a police NOC. However,Sena corporators created pandemonium in the general body meeting of the BMC on Monday and gheraoed acting municipal commissioner R A Rajeev,who has issued circulars directing ward offices to take strict and prompt action against such posters. “If the police give an NOC,we will not object,” he said.

Alongside the killing,the posters show a Marathi couplet. It also has photographs of Tukaram Omble,Hemant Karkare,Vijay Salaskar and Ashok Kamte,Mumbai policemen slain during 26/11.

Sena leader Diwakar Raote said the killing of Afzal Khan is detailed in school history books and Muslims don’t find anything objectionable in it. “Muslim organisations have no objection but the police and state government are creating unnecessary tension,” said Raote.

Raote claimed that during the Sangli-Miraj riots,the government had assured the Sena that the poster is not banned. He said they would continue the display.

At the general body meeting of the Sena-ruled BMC,the party’s Leader of the House Sunil Prabhu said,“We want to condemn the 26/11 attack and the killing of Afzal Khan means the end of terror. We will display posters across the state and no one can stop us.” Sena leader Prabhakar Shinde said,“If the police don’t allow us,there will be riots here too.” And corporator Ravindra Waikar added,“The Class-IV history book has a chapter on the episode and a channel runs a show on the life of Shivaji Maharaj. If these things have not resulted in a law and order situation,what can our posters do?”

The NCP’s Ajit Ravrane supported the posters but others in the opposition in the BMC protested. “We all respect Shivaji and a hero like him does not need posters to display his courage,” said Congress leader Rajhans Singh.