Overview
- A public interest petition by advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay seeks an FIR against Raj Thackeray and action against MNS workers over alleged targeting of non-Marathi speakers.
- The plea also asks the Election Commission of India and the State Election Commission to consider derecognising the MNS, with related complaints submitted to senior police officials.
- The petition cites a July 5 rally where Thackeray allegedly urged that those not speaking Marathi be 'hit below their eardrums' and reportedly mocked certain Hindi-speaking states.
- Public prosecutor Mankunwar Deshmukh suggested the petitioner file a private complaint before a metropolitan magistrate, but the court has sought institutional responses.
- The matter reached the high court after the Supreme Court directed the petitioner to seek relief there, with Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad hearing the case.