MNS activists attack Mumbai University registrar's office

Mumbai/Nashik, Jan 27 (PTI) After lying low for some time, activists of Raj Thackeray's MNS resorted to violence for the second time in two days when they attacked the Mumbai University Registrar's office today,a day after they disrupted a north Indian cultural programme at a Nashik school.
Six Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists, who also broke the windows of the Registrar's office in South Mumbai, were arrested today, police said. The Registrar K Venkataramani was not present when the attack took place.

"The accused who are MNS workers claimed that earlier Marathi and Hindi subjects were compulsory in the syllabus but due to a recent circular issued by the University, Marathi subject becomes optional for the students," said P R Shishupal, senior police inspector of Azad Maidan police station, told PTI.

"They claimed that by issuing this circular, the university has done injustice to Marathi language," Shishupal said.

MNS student wing president Aditya Shirodkar was among the six arrested for resorting to violence inside the campus, he said,adding they would be produced before the court tomorrow.

The group obtained an appointment to meet Vice Chancellor Vijay Khole at around 11 AM but they later resorted to violence and attacked the registrar's office, police said.

Vice-Chancellor Vijay Khole and Venkataramani were not available for comments.

MNS activists yesterday disrupted a north Indian cultural programme at Satpur-based Jijamata School in Nashik. At least 50 MNS activists shouting anti-north Indian slogans had entered the school premises and interrupted the programme of Bhojpuri songs.