MUMBAI: For the second time in six months, the Mumbai police on Thursday evening served a show-cause notice on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, prohibiting him for making provocative speeches till Sept. 30.

According to the police, this was a precautionary measure taken in the wake of the festivals of Hindu elephant deity Ganesh and the Muslim month of Ramadan, both which are in progress since Sept. 2.

The police decision to impose the gag order on Raj was also taken due to his recent Marathi signboard campaign undertaken by him and his party men.

The MNS chief has also been asked to reply to the notice within three days, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Bhage of the Mumbai police.

Earlier this year Raj had issued a diktat to all traders across the city to change the signboards to Marathi. The Bombay High Court had, however, directed him not to take law into his own hands and not to resort to violence.

However, the signboard enforcers have decided to take a break. The festivals of Ganesh and Ramadan have the MNS and the Shiv Sena taking a break from their campaign for Marathi name boards. Party leaders have issued directives that there should be no agitation during the festivities.

Ajay Shinde, the chief of Shiv Sena students wing Bharatiya Vidyarti Sena, said the party doesn’t want any tension during the festivals of Hindus and Muslims. Once the festivals are over, activists will resume the campaign.

The MNS is also lying low and said it is waiting for “orders from their chief.” MNS leader Prakash Dhamdere said “it’s a break for the festivals, after which we will once again request shopkeepers to display Marathi name boards.”

Both Shiv Sena and MNS have claimed credit for a successful campaign so far. Shinde said, “It was because of the Shiv Sena’s campaign two years ago that 3,000 to 4,000 name boards were changed into Marathi.

The MNS said it would continue the agitation “till all boards are changed.” MNS party leaders said that they were only waiting for orders from their chief, who has been prevented by the Bombay High Court form enforcing an Aug. 28 deadline.