Uddhav's Sena, NCP get police notice for 'Traitors' Day' protest

Mumbai: Mumbai Police on Tuesday issued notices to Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), warning them not to hamper the law and order situation after leaders from the two parties appealed for celebrating June 20 as 'International Traitors' Day' and said they will take out protests in the city.
Developments from this day last year led to the exit of 40 MLAs of the then Uddhav Thackeray-led by Eknath Shinde who went on to become the Maharashtra chief minister. Mumbai Police has also increased security at various sensitive places in the State.
Talking to the reporters on Tuesday, Shiv Sena MP (UBT) Sanjay Raut said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should tell United Nations about this day and announce it as an 'International Traitor Day'.
Meawhile, Maharashtra BJP MLA Nitish Rane said since Uddhav Thackeray celebrates his birthday on June 27, hence that day should be declared as "International Traitors Day". "There no bigger traitor than Uddhav Thackeray'. 'He betrayed his father's ideology, betrayed Hindutva, betrayed the people of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP," said Rane via a Twitter post adding that he hopes the United Nations will take his request under consideration.
Talking to reporters here Sanjay Raut earlier said, "Our PM, Home Minister and Central Government are promoting traitors. On this day 40 of our MLAs left the party. It should be declared as 'International Traitor Day'. PM is going to the USA, so he should tell United Nations about it and announce 'International Traitor Day'."
PM Modi is on a four-day visit from Tuesday to the United States for his first historic State visit.
Raut has also written a letter to UN Secretary-General appealing to declare June 20 as International Traitor Day as on this day 40 legislators from Shiv Sena, including the current Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray and split the Shiv Sena into two factions.
"I am writing to you with an appeal to observe June 20 as World Traitors Day. Sir, I represent a party called Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and am a parliamentarian from the Upper House in India. My party Shiv Sena (UBT) hails from Maharashtra, a prominent state in western India. It was started by Mr Balasaheb Thackeray in 1966 who championed the cause of local youth in Mumbai. (erstwhile Bombay)," Raut said in his letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that he posted on his Twitter.
"On June 20, a huge group of 40 legislators from our Shiv Sena left us after being instigated by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Each of them is said to have taken Rs 50 crores to defect. The BJP used all their might to ensure that the Mahavikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra led by Uddhav Thackeray fell," he said.
"Hence, I am appealing to you to make June 20 as World Traitors Day just as June 21 is observed as World Yoga Day. This must be done so that World remembers Traitors," he further added. (ANI)