Rane arrested over ‘will slap CM’ remarks
Union minister Narayan Rane was arrested on Tuesday over his controversial remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, which triggered a political row and protests.
Rane had said that he would have slapped Thackeray over the latter’s ignorance of the year of India’s independence.
After his arrest, Rane was taken to Mahad in Raigad district where he was produced before a magistrate’s court, police sources said. Cases were registered against the BJP leader at Mahad as well as at Nashik and Pune as his remark set off angry protests by workers of the ruling Shiv Sena.
Union minister Narayan Rane’s remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray set off protests in Mumbai and several other cities which included pelting of stones and vandalising offices of BJP by Shiv Sena cadres.
In Mumbai, activists of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Sena, and the BJP clashed with each other near Rane’s residence on the Juhu Tara Road in Santacruz (West). Stones were pelted from both sides, following which police used cane-charge to disperse the agitators, an official said, adding heavy police security was deployed outside Rane’s residence.
The Santacruz police registered an FIR against over 50 workers of the Yuva Sena as well as some BJP workers after the clash for violating COVID-19 norms under the Indian Penal Code and under various sections of the CrPc, an official said. Police are analysing CCTV footage and videos being circulated on social media.
Video clips aired on news channels may be used as evidence later against the activists involved in the clash, he said.
According to police, supporters of Sena and BJP also clashed at Chiplun in the coastal Ratnagiri district. Stones were hurled at the BJP’s office in Nashik city in north Maharashtra. Sena office-bearers held demonstrations against BJP in Shalimar Chowk.
Following stone-pelting at the BJP office, BJP activists tried to attack the agitators at the Sena office, leading to a clash between activists of the two parties. Police beefed up security in the Shalimar area.