Raj Thackeray meets Fadnavis over hawkers issue

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray on Thursday met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to discuss the issue of illegal hawkers in Mumbai. The meeting comes a day after hawkers staged a protest at Azad Maidan demanding framing of a hawkers' policy. On Wednesday, MNS and Congress workers had clashed in Dadar over the issue of hawkers.

MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said his party has asked the BJP-led government in Maharashtra to implement the court orders on hawkers.

"If the government implements the court orders, we (MNS) won't have to resort to anti-hawker agitation," Nandgaonkar said.

Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam had organised a morcha in Dadar in support of hawkers, who have been targeted by the Raj Thackeray-led party.