Sena MLA comment adds fuel to Rane ‘slap CM’ row
MUMBAI: A defiant Union minister Narayan Rane targeted the Maharashtra government on Wednesday over his dramatic arrest as political tensions continued to simmer in the state with the Shiv Sena issuing threats and the Bharatiya Janata Party deciding to move court.
A former Sena leader turned BJP minister, Rane was arrested on Tuesday for saying that he wanted to slap chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who allegedly forgot the year of India’s independence during a speech.
On Wednesday, the state government told the Bombay high court that it will not take any “coercive” action against Rane but the minister remained combative. “I am not afraid of anyone and I am not backing out. My words were an expression of anger against the chief minister,” he said.
Sena’s Hingoli legislator Santosh Bangar dared Rane to remove his security and face him. “We have the strength to come and bash you at your house,” Bangar said.
The BJP said it would like to see the action taken against such comments by the government. It also said it will move court against transport minister Anil Parab for his purported orders to the police to arrest Rane.
MUMBAI: A defiant Union minister Narayan Rane targeted the Maharashtra government on Wednesday over his dramatic arrest as political tensions continued to simmer in the state with the Shiv Sena issuing threats and the Bharatiya Janata Party deciding to move court.
A former Sena leader turned BJP minister, Rane was arrested on Tuesday for saying that he wanted to slap chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who allegedly forgot the year of India’s independence during a speech. Rane became the first sitting Union minister to be arrested in 20 years but was released on bail late in the night by a court in Raigad district.
On Wednesday, the state government told the Bombay high court that it will not take any “coercive” action against Rane but the minister remained combative.
“I am not afraid of anyone and I am not backing out. My words were an expression of anger against the chief minister who forgot the year of India’s Independence. I only told reporters what he had already said, so how can it be a crime?” he said.
The 69-year-old politician also alleged that Thackeray in the past had said Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath should be hit with sandals. “Thackeray called Union home minister Amit Shah shameless. He even said he was using unparliamentary words deliberately to describe Shah. Why was no action taken then?” Rane asked.
Rane’s comments had sparked violent clashes across Maharashtra on Tuesday as Sena workers went on a rampage, vandalising some BJP offices. Tempers continued to run high on Wednesday.
The party’s Hingoli legislator Santosh Bangar dared Rane to remove his security and face him. “We have the strength to come and bash you at your house. You keep your police protection aside. I, Santosh Bangar, a Sena activist will come alone and if I don’t remove your guts then I will never take my name again,”bangar told local channels.
BJP legislator Ram Kadam said the party would like to see the
action taken by the Sena-led government. “These are all empty threats but since they are made by the legislator we would like to see what action will be taken against Bangar for threatening a Union minister,” said Kadam.
The Sena defended Bangar. “Shiv Sainiks are emotional about their chief and Narayan Rane provoked them with such insulting remarks. Its Rane’s fault which is facing such backlash,” said Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande.
Nitesh, Rane’s younger son and BJP lawmaker, tweeted a video indicating that a befitting reply will be given for the action against his father.
In a speech on Monday, Rane criticised Thackeray for allegedly confusing the number of years since India’s independence during the chief minister’s August 15 address. “It is shameful that the chief minister does not know the year of independence. He leaned back to enquire (with his aides) about the count of years of independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given him a slap under his ears,” Rane had said.
On Tuesday afternoon, he was arrested while addressing events as part of the Jan Aashirwad tours being done by newly inducted Union ministers across the country.
On Wednesday, the minister for micro, small and medium enterprises defended his comments and attacked Thackeray.
“Thackeray asked his party workers, on August 1, to give a tight slap to (BJP legislator) Prasad Lad who had threatened to attack Sena Bhavan. Thackeray used derogatory language against Yogi Adityanath and said that he should be beaten with chappals. He also called Union home minister Amit Shah shameless. Why action was not taken against him and why only against me? Whatever I spoke was out of the anger against Thackeray for forgetting the year of independence of the country,” said Rane. He also condemned the violent clashes.
“Sena has no power to beat up any BJP worker or leader. They pet stones from distance. BJP would not allow the violence to take place here in Maharashtra like it happened in West Bengal,” he said, referring to post-poll violence in the eastern state.
The BJP also threatened to move court against Sena leader and transport minister Anil Parab for his purported orders to the police to arrest Rane. Parab, a close aide of Thackeray, was caught on camera giving instructions to someone -- apparently a police officer -- to arrest Rane without waiting for an arrest warrant and use force if necessary.
“We are moving court to understand in which capacity he was giving orders to the police,” said Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil. Neither Sena nor Parab responded to requests for a comment.