R R Patil rules out resignation; will act against MNS march

Raj Thackeray's allegations are politically motivated, Patil told reporters, after an MNS march culminated in a public rally at Azad Maidan where the MNS chief spoke. The MNS leader's speech at the rally would also be examined, the minister said.

"There is no question of my resignation. There is no need to take politically motivated statements seriously," Patil

said, responding to Raj's demand for his and Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik's resignations.

Earlier today, the MNS chief led thousands of MNS supporters in a march before holding a public meeting where he demanded immediate ouster of the state home minister and the city police chief for the August 11 violence at Azad Maidan.

Despite being denied police permission to hold a street march from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan, the MNS chief mustered thousands of supporters on the beach at Marine Drive amidst heavy police bandobust to protest last fortnight's violence.

However, he insisted that it was not aimed at grabbing a share of the Hindutva space.