MUMBAI: The Mumbai police on Tuesday withdrew security of three Shiv Sena legislators on the orders of the Maharashtra government. The security detail were withdrawn following the legislators' demonstrations during the recent visit of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi to Mumbai.

Rahul had visited Mumbai last week. Some Sena workers had protested against the Congress leader during the visit. The protesters included Sena legislators Ravindra Waikar, who is also the Standing Committee chairman of the Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Prakash alias Bala Sawant and Anil Parab. The three legislators were arrested along with 342 Sena workers for waving black flags at Rahul.

A police official told Arab News, "We provide security to the legislators so that they do not face hurdles in their work. But if the legislators misuse the security provided to them and indulge in protests, then according to the rules, we are compelled to withdraw their security."

Legislators are provided security in the state by the Protection and Security Department of the Mumbai Police, and police constables are assigned to them who carry small weapons and work in 12-hour shift.

Waikar expressed his frustration over this move. He said, "At a time when I am receiving threatening calls, withdrawing my police protection, is dangerous. If anything happens to me, then Rahul and the Maharashtra government would be held responsible."

Sawant said, "I'm not rattled by the withdrawal of the police protection. I will continue to work for the people without security. My party workers are enough for my security. I had not participated in the protests against Rahul, but had visited the police stations to meet the Sena workers who had been detained by the police." Parab, meanwhile, who had participated in the demonstration outside actor Shah Rukh Khan's residence 'Mannat' in Bandra protesting against the actor's statement that Pakistan players should be included in the Indian Premier League (IPL), said it was an act of 'settling scores.'

The Sena legislators accused the Congress-NCP led Democratic Front government for getting back at them for protesting against Rahul and Shah Rukh Khan, while Sena spokeswoman Neelam Gorhe said that the protests by the Sena legislators were political. The government, she said, should not bring in politics into matters that are personal, especially the issue of police protections for the legislators. She demanded that the government immediately restore the security detail of the Sena legislators.

Mumbai Congress chief and former minister for state Kripashankar Singh downplayed the move. He said, "Withdrawal of security to the Sena legislators was purely an administrative matter of the police. The Congress has nothing to do with the decision of the state government to withdraw police protection given to Sena legislators."

Meanwhile, despite the statement of Sena chief Bal Thackeray that the party would not protest against actor Shah Rukh Khan's film "My Name is Khan", Sena workers on Tuesday held ugly demonstrations outside theaters in Mulund suburb where the film was to be screened. Advance booking for the film had commenced at the theaters. The Sena workers pelted stones at Mehul theater and broke the glass panes. The Sena also held demonstrations outside Huma theater in Kanjurmar and R-City Mall in Ghatkopar and shouted slogans against the actor. The police arrested 50 of the party workers and more arrests are likely, said Ritesh Kumar, additional commissioner of police (east). The protestors told the theater managements to halt the advance bookings of the film or be prepared to face grave consequences.

Alarmed by the violent demonstrations by the Sena hooligans, Karan Johar, producer and director of the film along with multiplex association owners and distributors met Mumbai police commissioner D. Shivandan on Tuesday afternoon and discussed security measures at theaters and multiplexes when the film is to be released on Feb. 12.