Protests in Maharashtra over insulting Facebook posts

Shiv Sena activists protested in Maharashtra over alleged derogatory Facebook posts pertaining to Chhatrapati Shivaji and the late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, officials said here Sunday.

Scores of public buses, private vehicles, shops and establishments were pelted with stones and damaged in Pune, Kolhapur, Solapur and other parts of western Maharashtra.

Angry Shiv Sainiks demanded that the objectionable posts be removed from the social networking site even as Mumbai police registered a case against unidentified persons for posting the matter.

Many parts of Pune, Solapur, Kolhapur and north-eastern Mumbai observed a spontaneous shutdown Sunday.

The protests started Saturday with the blocking of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway for several hours, but the situation was described as "under control" by Sunday evening.

Saturday, Shiv Sena state spokesperson Neelam Gorhe raised the issue with state Home Minister R.R. Patil who assured appropriate steps in the matter.

Meanwhile, union Minister for Rural Development Gopinath Munde condemned the issue and discussed it with union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Munde urged the people of the state to maintain peace and remain calm.