Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab accuses minister Kesarkar of speaking false things about Bal Thackeray

Shiv Sena leader Anil Parab. File Photo/PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab Tuesday hit out at Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar for speaking "false things" about Bal Thackeray during this cross-examination in the disqualification pleas of Shiv Sena factions.

He claimed that Kesarkar, who belongs to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, said during his cross-examination that Bal Thackeray did not respect democracy and that he did not allow any election process in the party.

Speaking to reporters in the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan, the state legislature complex in Nagpur, Parab said, "During his cross-examination in the disqualification pleas, Deepak Kesarkar said that Balasaheb Thackeray did not allow any election process in the party and did not respect democracy. People who followed Balasaheb's ideology are using such language and saying that no election process was held (in the party) from 1999 till today."

Before saying all this, Kesarkar should have studied and collected information. He should have known how Balasaheb was and how he worked, he said.

"Balasaheb used to say that he does not accept 'faltu Lokshahi' (useless democracy), but the election process has been taking place in Shiv Sena since the beginning. Hence, Kesarkar has spoken wrong things about Balasaheb during his cross examination," he said.

The former minister accused Kesarkar of having double standards and saying one thing in the court and something else outside it.

Also read: CM Shinde: 147 fatal road accidents recorded in Mumbai from Jan- June 2023

"They do not have any love for Balasaheb and this shows what is in their heart towards Balasaheb," he alleged.

Meanwhile, the Yavatmal police have registered an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on charge of sedition and other offences for writing an alleged objectionable article against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', a senior official said on Tuesday.

The case is based on a complaint filed by BJP's Yavatmal district coordinator Nitin Bhutada against Rajya Sabha member Raut, who is the executive editor of Saamana, the official said.

In the complaint, Bhutada claimed Raut wrote an objectionable article against PM Modi on December 10.

The case was registered on Monday at Umarkhed police station against Raut under IPC sections 124 (A) (sedition), 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) and 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes), the official said. "We have registered the case as per the complaint and will conduct a probe into it," he said. (With inputs from agencies)