IANS

Mumbai, Feb 5: On the eve of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's visit to Mumbai, leaders of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Thursday hit back at the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnriman Sena (MNS) for their 'provocative' war of words over the past few days.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan warned the Shiv Sena and MNS against making personal attacks on Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other party leaders or taking the law in their hands.

"We are taking all steps to provide adequate security to Rahul Gandhi on his visit tomorrow. Any person found violating (the law) shall be dealt with very severely by the police," Chavan warned, referring to the Sena's threat to the Congress leader to keep away from Maharashtra.

"They have some political agenda for the forthcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections (due after 24 months), so they keep raking such issues daily," Chavan remarked.

Home Minister R.R. Patil said that all multiplexes planning to screen Shah Rukh Khan's movie "My Name is Khan" shall be provided police security.

The state government also sought legal opinion from the Advocate General to explore the possibility of initiating action against the Sena mouthpiece "Saamna" for its provocative writings as well as MNS chief Raj Thackeray's speech Wednesday night in Thane.

Severely criticizing Sena leaders Bal Thackeray and his son Uddhav, Congress leader and Revenue Minister Narayan Rane warned in Pune that if anybody tried to "touch" any Congress leader, Congressmen would not allow the Thackerays to move around freely in the city.

Referring to the Mumbai terror attacks, Rane pointed out that Uddhav Thackeray was "in hiding" during that period and Sena leaders were not to be seen anywhere.

"It is they who have lowered the dignity of Maharashtrians and tarnished the image of Marathis by their cowardly behaviour during that critical time," Rane thundered.

In similar vein, Congress MP from Mumbai North Sanjay Nirupam said in Mumbai that the Sena "committed a mistake by threatening Rahul Gandhi" and demanded government action against the party leaders.

Nirupam also demand action against the Sena for threatening theatres and multiplex owners over the release of Shah Rukh Khan's next movie and urged Bollywood not to be cowed down by the Sena's intimidatory tactics.

In a related development, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut alleged that SRK had insulted the martyrs of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack by his statement in favour of Pakistan cricketers.

Raut reiterated that the actor must apologise for his statements. "Those who speak that they will give protection to Shah Rukh are also enemies of the nation," Raut told mediapersons.