Hours after the police registered a case against him for 'promoting enmity' between groups and 'provoking' incidents of violence in the city, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi has said he will not seek anticipatory bail.
"I am sitting here in my office; I will not seek anticipatory bail. I have asked my party men not to resort to violence and do anything which will disturb peace in Mumbai," Azmi told PTI.
The police have registered cases against Azmi and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, whose war of words recently spilled onto Mumbai streets, with north Indians, mainly taxi drivers, bearing the brunt of attacks by alleged MNS workers.
"What wrong have I done?" Azmi asked.
He charged Raj with dividing the country on regional issues and flouting the Constitution. Azmi said he had asked 'his people' to maintain peace at any cost. He said the Centre should exert more pressure on the state government to take action on the issue.
"The charges applied against Raj Thackeray are too mild," Azmi said. "He should face rioting charges," he added.
Thackeray and Azmi have been booked under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (promoting enmity between groups on the basis of place of birth, residence, etc) and 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration).