Narayan Rane arrested over remarks on Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai, Aug 24: Controversies erupted in Maharashtra after the police arrested Union minister and BJP leader Narayan Rane over his controversial remarks against chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. The arrest follows violent clashes between some members of Shiv Sena and BJP.

 

While speaking at the ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ in Raigad district of Maharashtra, Rane had remarked, "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."

 

 

Following Rane's remarks, a complaint was lodged against him by Nashik city Shiv Sena unit chief at the Cyber police station there. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered against Rane in Nashik under IPC sections 500 (defamation), 505(2) (mischief), 153-B (1)(c) (remarks likely to cause disharmony, or feeling of enmity or hatred or ill-will), a police official said. The controversy boiled over on Tuesday when more FIRs followed, lodged in different parts of Maharashtra.

 

 

Soon former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday slammed the Maharashtra government for using the police to suppress the Opposition in the state. He said,"Two FIRs have been registered against Rane and a whole team is going to arrest him. Where was this police when Bharat Mata was abused. Sharijil Usmani abused Bharat Mata but no FIR was registered against him but you (state govt) filed FIR against Narayan Rane."

 

 

Stone pelting was witnessed at the BJP's party office by the Shiv Sena leaders. Reacting to this, Fadnavis said, "We do not act like hooligans. But if our party office is attacked in the presence of police, we are capable of protecting ourselves. This is 'police jivi' government. It is state-sponsored violence just like in Bengal."