MNS chief fires away at Mumbai top cop, rights panel and R R Patil

Addressing the media for the first time after his protest at Azad Maidan on Tuesday, Thackeray made fun of Singh's popular ‘bullet for bullet' policy and said in the time of crisis the bullets of these officials never come out of their guns.

Thackeray also lashed out at the Human Rights Commission for keeping mum on the violence that occurred at Azad Maidan on August 11, saying the panel was otherwise always ready to condemn any violent incident. u00a0Thackeray also said that people should bring down the Congress-NCP government and bring in an MNS government in the state.u00a0

Talking tough:u00a0Raj Thackeray addresses the media at his home in the city yesterday. Pic/Krunal Gosaviu00a0

"I do not have personal enmity with the outgoing Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik," he said. "But the way he handled the situation at Azad Maidan, it was essential for him to resign. It also gives the message to other officials that such negligence will not be tolerated in the future."
On his demand for the resignation of Home Minister R R Patil, Thackeray said:

"The Home Minister is not efficient enough to control the law and order situation in the state. Whether it was 26/11 in Mumbai or the blasts in Pune, Patil always failed in handling the law and order situation in the state. Therefore, he should resign from the Home Ministry and should take charge of a ministry where he can give his best."

Thackeray asserted that his speech and peaceful protest at Azad Maidan had boost the morale of the Mumbai police as well as of the media, who were the main targets in the Augist 11 violence.

Reacting to the RPI (A) workers' protest against him on Wednesday, Thackeray said: "The RPI workers did not understand what I had said in my speech about their leaders, but my fellow Marathi people were with me and they also understand the alarming law and order situation in the state."
Thackeray was in the city on a personal visit.u00a0