Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut Monday felicitated lawyer Sanjeev Punalekar, who is currently defending some right-wing activists booked in murder cases of prominent rationalists, and accused the BJP government of falling short of expectations of the Hindu community.

Punalekar is the national secretary of Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad, a voluntary organisation of "nationalist" Hindu advocates. It works closely with right-wing Sanatan Sanstha. Punalekar is defending in court the Hindutva activists who are accused of being involved in conspiracy to kill rationalist Narendra Dabholkar (2013) and Left leader Govind Pansare (2015).