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Action against Thackeray early next week: CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh Friday said his government will implement the Srikrishna Commission's report and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's prosecution is the first step in this direction.

Deshmukh, who is leaving for Delhi Saturday morning, said members of the ruling Democratic Front are united on the issue of Thackeray's prosecution.

The Maharashtra Government is seeking Thackeray's prosecution in a 1992-93 riots case, wherein he has been accused of writing inflammatory editorials in his party newspaper Saamna.

"The ruling constituents are together on this issue," Deshmukh said emerging out of a DF meeting in Bombay.

Earlier in the evening, in an interview to Star News, Deshmukh hinted that action was likely against Thackeray early next week. "I have signed the file...it's just a matter of time before it reaches the commissioner of police and action is initiated against Thackeray," he said

Asked about the prevailing mood in the ruling front, Deshmukh said: "It's jubilant."

To a question whether he was facing the worst political crisis of his life, he replied in the negative.

On the Union government turning down his government's request for additional para-military forces, Deshmukh said: "It is the Centre's responsibility to provide more forces."

Asked whether he would take up the issue with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister during his visit to the national capital on Saturday, Deshmukh said he had no scheduled one-to-one meetings with either of them.

PTI

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