Police have moved HC on relief to ex-scribe over Shivaji remarks, Oppn doing politics: Fadnavis

Kolhapur, Mar 6 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said Opposition was merely doing politics by protesting against former journalist Prashant Koratkar for his alleged offensive remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and asserted police acted swiftly against him.

Police have booked Nagpur resident Koratkar for allegedly threatening Kolhapur-based historian Indrajeet Sawant and making derogatory comments against Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his warrior-son Sambhaji Maharaj.

Fadnavis, who holds the home portfolio, pointed out that police acted swiftly and filed a case against Koratkar, but he managed to get protection from arrest from a Kolhapur court and the interim relief has been challenged in the Bombay High Court.

Even after this if some people are hell-bent on doing politics then let them do so, he maintained, hitting out at opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which has demanded action against the former journalist and raised the issue in the ongoing budget session of the state legislature.

"The police immediately filed an offence against Kortakar. After the sessions court granted him relief from arrest, the police moved the HC, seeking to set aside the interim protection given to him. They have told the HC that they need Koratkar's custody and have requested that the sessions court's decision be overturned.

"But some people just want to do politics over this issue. Let them do politics," Fadnavis said while speaking to reporters in Kolhapur.

The CM's remarks came in the wake of the Kolhapur police detaining and issuing notices to MVA alliance workers and activists from various outfits ahead of his visit to the city. They had planned protests against Koratkar's alleged objectionable comments on the 17th century Maratha king and his son, both highly revered figures in Maharashtra.

Ahead of Fadnavis' visit to Kolhapur, police detained at least 50 MVA workers who were planning to stage a protest seeking action against Koratkar.

During his visit, the CM is scheduled to attend various programmes.

On Wednesday, workers of MVA parties - Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress - along with members of various outfits - threatened to hold protests against Koratkar's remarks during Fadnavis' visit.

"Yesterday, the police issued notices to more than 100 members of the MVA parties. On Thursday morning, 50 to 55 members were detained, while several others were confined to one place," Harshal Surve, Kolhapur unit president of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena (UBT), said.

"We were planning to register our protest through democratic means. We had sought a place where we can agitate but by detaining us, they are trying to suppress our voice. But we will continue to agitate till Koratkar is punished," he asserted.

Speaking in the legislative council in Mumbai on Wednesday, Fadnavis warned that those insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Sambhaji Maharaj will not be spared. PTI SPK NP RSY

Source: PTI