Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's spokesperson Shishir Shinde has been detained by the police, party sources said.The city is witnessing tension for the last two days following MNS chief Raj Thackeray's anti-North Indian remarks, and clashes between MNS and Samajwadi Party workers.Even though Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh promised stern action against the guilty to curb spread of violence, a firm crackdown is yet to take place.On Tuesday morning 13 more activists of Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena were detained by the police. The new detention came in after many other MNS supporters were released on bail on Monday.Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh said action should be taken because Raj Thackeray had been issuing “veiled as well as open threats” to non-Maharashtrians and “exhorting his party cadres to perpetrate acts of violence” against them..While the party filed a petition with the Election Commission demanding de-registration of MNS, Amar Singh lodged an FIR against the MNS chief accusing him of encouraging attacks on North Indians. However, no action has been taken in this regard.In a new turn to the row on Monday over the MNS chief’s comments against non-Maharashtrians, supporters followed up clashes on the streets with an attack on Amitabh Bachchan’s Mumbai residence on Sunday night.The Centre asked the state government to take all steps to maintain law and order.Late on Sunday night, two motorcycle-borne youths threw glass bottles at Bachchan’s residence Prateeksha in Juhu. The attack followed Raj Thackeray’s comments questioning the star’s allegiance to Maharashtra and accusing him of being more loyal to native Uttar Pradesh.Bachchan, who’s in Jaipur with family and Amar Singh to celebrate son Abhishek’s birthday, refused comment, but security was stepped up at his Mumbai homes.Meanwhile, UP CM Mayawati condemned the Mumbai violence and said there will be full protection for those living in Mumbai.Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam detainedCongress MP and spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam and 20 of his supporters were detained on Tuesday ahead of a protest march planned by them to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's residence in central Mumbai.Nirupam had announced that he would take out a morcha to Raj's residence in Dadar, in the wake of his anti-North Indian statements and incidents of violence in the past two days.Nirupam, alongwith a few Congress workers had assembled at Ganesh Chowk in Dadar, but police detained them before they could proceed to Raj's residence, DCP Zone 5 D M Phadtare said.
