Tearing into the rebels, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has called them “uneducated, walking dead” amid the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra, media reports said.

Quoting Imam Ali, Raut said in a tweet,”Jahalat (lack of education) is a kind of death and Jahil (uneducated) people are like the walking dead.”

The Supreme Court Monday issued notices to Maharashtra Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, chief whip Sunil Prabhu, leader of legislature party Anil Chaudhary and the Centre as the fight for the control of Shiv Sena, which created a deep political crisis in the state, reached the apex court.

Acting on Eknath Shinde’s plea challenging the disqualification notices issued to him and 15 other rebel MLAs last week, the Supreme Court also extended the deadline given to the rebel MLAs to file their responses to the disqualification notices till Jul 12.

Earlier, they were asked to submit their replies by 5.30 pm on Monday.

During the hearing, the Supreme Court asked the rebels’ lawyer why they did not approach the Bombay High Court first, to which advocate NK Kaul replied that the rebels’ houses and properties are being threatened and the situation is not conducive for them to pursue their rights in Bombay.

The Uddhav Thackeray camp, meanwhile, contended that there should be no trust vote till the pending issues are decided and they should be free to approach the court if the rebels seek a floor test.