By IANS,
Mumbai : A delegation of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Monday evening called on Governor S.C. Jamir, demanding restoration of security cover to party president Raj Thackeray.
The delegation in its three-page memorandum to Jamir complained that the Z-category security cover provided to Thackeray was abruptly withdrawn Oct 22, MNS spokesman Shirish Parker told IANS shortly after the meeting at Raj Bhavan.
The state government’s move was inexplicable since Thackeray and his family members were provided security since the demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992 and the subsequent riots that engulfed Mumbai, Parker said.
Requesting the governor to direct the state government to restore Thackeray’s security cover, the delegation pointed out that in the absence of security, the MNS president was virtually under ‘house-arrest’ with severe constraints on his movement within and outside Mumbai.
Giving the delegation a patient hearing, Jamir said that for him, ensuring the security of each and every individual in the state, including the MNS chief, was of paramount importance.
In an indirect hint at the MNS’s recent campaign targeting people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Jamir also told the delegation leaders: “It should be the endeavour of political parties to respect the sentiments of every citizen and maintain the unity and integrity of the country.”
He assured the delegation, comprising Bala Nandgaonkar, Shishir Shinde, Nitin Sardesai, Pravin Darekar and Shweta Parulekar, that he would bring the issue to the notice of the state government.
Parker said the delegation was hopeful that with the governor’s intervention in the matter, the issue would be resolved soon.
Asked about comments from the city police that they would upgrade Thakceray’s security, Parker said: “Even we had heard about it from the media, but that’s all.”
For the past over three weeks, Thackeray has been moving around with a private security and a protective cordon of his own partymen, Parker said.