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New Delhi: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana, who had planned to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’ and were later arrested by Mumbai Police, were “enemies” of the state. Talking to reporters over the Hanuman Chalisa row, Sanjay Raut said MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana were backed by former chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis over the controversy.
“There was a conspiracy to do something different at the CM’s residence. BJP tried to attack by keeping a gun on their shoulders. Navneet and Ravi Rana are the enemies of Maharashtra and behind them is the former CM (Devendra Fadnavis),” Sanjay Raut said.
Sanjay Raut also warned not to mess with Shiv Sena and ‘Matoshree’ and said who does so “will be buried 20ft deep”. “I would like to add that don’t mess with Shiv Sena and ‘Matoshree’, you will be buried 20ft deep. I am saying this in front of the camera, don’t test Shiv Sena’s restraint,” Sanjay Raut said.
There was a conspiracy to do something different at the CM's residence. BJP tried to attack by keeping a gun on their shoulders… Navneet & Ravi Rana are the enemies of Maharashtra & behind them is the former CM (Devendra Fadnavis): Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut pic.twitter.com/nWxookYopW
— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2022
Mumbai Police had arrested MLA Ravi Rana and his wife, MP Navneet Rana, both Independent legislators from eastern Maharashtra, for allegedly “creating enmity between different groups” after escorting them out of their house in suburban Khar amid high drama.
The development came hours after the couple cancelled their plan to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s private residence ‘Matoshree’ in Mumbai. The Ranas were booked under IPC section 153 (A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), and section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act (violation of prohibitory orders of police), said an official of the Khar police station in western Mumbai.
At the Khar police station, Navneet Rana, who is MP from Amravati in Maharashtra, and Ravi Rana, MLA from Badnera in Amravati district, submitted a complaint against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, and Sena leader and state transport minister Anil Parab, accusing them of instigating people to ‘kill’ the couple. But no case had been registered yet, police said. Earlier this month, Ravi Rana had demanded that CM Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena, recite the Hanuman Chalisa at his residence on Hanuman Jayanti, and announced that if the chief minister did not do so, he would go to Matoshree and recite it.
On Friday, Ravi Rana had said he would visit Matoshree on Saturday. But as his announcement drew a strong reaction from Shiv Sena cadres, on Saturday morning he announced that he and his wife were cancelling their plan so as not to create any law and order situation ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai on April 24.
But despite their backtracking, another high-voltage drama began as Sena cadres laid a siege to the building in suburban Khar where the couple were staying, and said the Ranas would not be allowed to leave until they apologized for insulting Matoshree, their “temple”. Sena workers also tried to break through barricades and enter the building in the morning, but were stopped by police.
When police sought to escort the Ranas to Khar police station late in the afternoon, the couple were initially seen arguing with them, saying they would not budge until criminal cases were also registered against Sena leaders who ‘threatened’ them. Navneet Rana also demanded that police produce a warrant.
But later they agreed to step out, and left in two police vehicles. An empty water bottle was thrown in their direction when the came out.
Some Sena leaders claimed that Ravi Rana used swear-words for CM Thackeray as he entered the Khar police station.
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, speaking in Nagpur, said the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government’s way of handling the entire episode was “very childish”.
“If allowed, the Rana couple would have gone there (Matoshree), recited Hanuman Chalisa and returned without creating any news. I don’t understand why so many people had gathered at several places as if they (Rana couple) were planning some attack. What kind of politics is this?” the former chief minister said.
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