Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said permission had been granted for a rally in neighbouring Mira Bhayander in which MNS leaders planned to participate but the party insisted on a specific route which posed law and order challenges.
Police detained Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s Thane and Palghar head Avinash Jadhav and several other party activists on Tuesday ahead of the rally planned in Thane’s Mira Bhayander area to counter a protest staged earlier by traders against the slapping of a food stall owner for not speaking in Marathi, officials said.
The rally was proposed by the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti in Mira Bhayander area.
Speaking to reporters in the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan premises on the issue, Fadnavis said, “There is no opposition to holding a rally. It was difficult to give permission for the sought route. Police requested them to change the route, but the organisers were adamant on a particular route.”
“It could cause traffic or a stampede-like situation. In such a situation, police try to convince and offer an alternate route. We are in democracy, everyone has the right to hold rallies,” he said.