Amid drama, Rane arrested for ‘slap’ remark on Uddhav
Court grants bail Union minister’s arrest breach of norms: Nadda
In a day of high political drama, Union minister Narayan Rane was arrested on Tuesday by the Maharashtra police for his controversial remarks about “slapping” Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. He was taken into custody by the police in coastal Ratnagiri district, after the sessions court rejected his transit anticipatory bail application. His arrest has become the new flashpoint between allies-turned-rivals Shiv Sena and BJP.
Speaking during his Jan Ashirwad Yatra in adjoining Raigad district on Monday, Mr Rane had claimed that the CM had forgotten the year of India’s Independence in his speech. “It is shameful that the chief minister does not know the year of Independence. He leaned back to enquire about the count of years of Independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given (him) a tight slap,” Mr Rane had said at Mahad during his Jan Ashirwad Yatra.
These comments evoked sharp reactions from Shiv Sena workers, who protested against the minister all over the state. As many as four FIRs were registered against Mr Rane over his remark against the CM.
All FIRs have been filed in different districts. His lawyers moved the Bombay high court seeking quashing of the FIRs, but the court refused to hear his petition on Tuesday itself and asked his lawyers to follow due process.
According to reports, Mr Rane was granted bail by a magistrate’s court in Mahad where he was produced late on Tuesday night. It is learnt that bail was granted on a `15,000 bond. The court had
earlier remanded him to judicial custody. Subsequently, his lawyers sought bail on various grounds, including false sections slapped in the FIR and health grounds. Though four separate FIRs were filed against him, he was arrested only in connection with the FIR filed in Nashik. State government sources said that the police would not arrest him in connection with other FIRs.
However, the possibility of his being produced in another court for a different FIR cannot be ruled out.
The Mumbai police, meanwhile, also registered two separate FIRs over the rioting that took place outside Mr Rane’s Juhu residence. One FIR is against over 60 Shiv Sena workers, while the second one is against over 60 BJP workers. At least eight police personnel suffered minor injuries. In both cases, police officials are the complainants.
Mr Rane, a BJP leader who joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet in July as the minister for micro, small and medium enterprises, is the first Union minister to be arrested from Maharashtra. Reacting to the arrest, Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis from the BJP said that he didn’t support Mr Rane’s comments, the arrest was an act of revenge.
“I want to make it clear that we do not support the comment about the chief minister, but we will stand by Mr Rane with all our strength. I want to tell the police commissioner that if there is no action against those who attacked our offices, then both Opposition leaders will sit on dharna at the police commissioner’s office. There should be the rule of law, not Taliban rule,” he said.
BJP president J.P. Nadda said the arrest was violative of constitutional values, and his party would not be cowed down by such actions. In a tweet, Mr Nadda said the immense support the BJP has received in its “Jan Aashirvad Yatra” has jolted its rivals. “We will continue to fight democratically, the journey will continue,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Mr Rane from the Union Cabinet. “To impress the BJP leadership, Mr Rane has been attacking the Shiv Sena and its leaders. He lost his mental balance after his induction into the Modi-led ministry. Mr Modi should show him the door,” Mr Raut said.
Mr Rane had approached a sessions court in Ratnagiri for pre-arrest bail. However, judge M.Q.S.M. Shaikh rejected the transit pre-arrest bail plea saying he could approach the concerned court for regular bail.