I am not afraid of anyone, stand by my words: Rane

BJP leaders said it would expose ministers of the ruling MVA — comprising Sena, NCP and Congress — over their roles in various cases and added it would move court against Sena leaders over its ‘”misuse of power”, especially transport minister Anil Parab.

A day after the controversial arrest of Union minister for micro, small and medium enterprises and BJP leader Narayan Rane over his ‘slap’ remark against chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP has upped the ante against Shiv Sena and the state. “Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had given similar statements in the past. He 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 UP CM Yogi Aadityanath and had said that he should be beaten up with chappals. He also called Union home minister Amit Shah shameless. Why was action not taken against him and why only against me? Whatever I spoke was out of anger against Thackeray for forgetting the year of independence of our country,” said Rane in a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Narayan Rane addresses a press conference at his Juhu residence in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Vijay Bate/HT)

BJP leaders said it would expose ministers of the ruling MVA — comprising Sena, NCP and Congress — over their roles in various cases and added it would move court against Sena leaders over its ‘”misuse of power”, especially transport minister Anil Parab.

A video clip of Parab apparently asking Ratnagiri police to arrest 69-year-old Rane without waiting for an arrest warrant went viral. Taking an aggressive stance against chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the BJP raised questions why action was not taken against him when he had used abusive language in the past against senior BJP leaders such as Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Aditynath and Union home minister Amit Shah.

“I cannot tolerate anything against our nation, our society or BJP leaders [on his statement against Thackeray]. If my remarks are objectionable, the instigating and derogatory language by the CM does not amount to similar action?,” Rane said. He also said that the BJP would not allow West Bengal-like [poll] violence to take place in Maharashtra. Raising questions over the violent protests and law-and-order situation in the state, Rane said, “Sena has no power to beat up any BJP worker or leader. They pelt stones from distance. BJP would not allow the violence to take place here in Maharashtra like it happened in West Bengal (after assembly polls).”

The Union minister was arrested on Tuesday afternoon for his remark made during the ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ of his party the previous day that he would have slapped Thackeray over the latter’s “ignorance” of the year of India’s independence, triggering a political row and protests across the state on Tuesday. After his arrest, Rane was taken to Mahad in Raigad district, 165km from Mumbai, where an FIR was registered against him over the remark. He was granted bail by a court at Mahad late on Tuesday night. Rane is the first sitting central minister to be arrested in two decades, since Murasoli Maran and TR Baalu were picked up in an infamous midnight raid in Chennai by the Tamil Nadu Police in 2001.

After the high-voltage drama witnessed in Mumbai, Konkan and other parts of the state on Tuesday over Rane’s arrest, BJP alleged that ïnhumane treatment” was meted out to the Union minister during his detention out of vendetta.

The party also threatened to move court against Sena leader and transport minister Anil Parab for his orders to the police to arrest Rane by using police force. Parab, a close aide of Thackeray, was caught on camera of a television channel, giving instructions to someone- — apparently a police officer -— to arrest Rane without waiting for an arrest warrant and use force if necessary.

“He asked the police to arrest Rane without warrant. We are moving court to understand in which capacity he was giving orders to the police. We are also moving court against Sena leader and deputy chairman of legislative council Neelam Gorhe for her political statement. The government has been acting with political vegeance by misusing the police force. The action against Rane came out of the fear of losing Mumbai after the type of response the Jan Ashirwad Yatra received in Mumbai,” said Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil.

BJP leader and former minister Ashish Shelar has demanded a CBI probe in the entire episode of the arrest order by Parab. “The leaked video clip was shot between 11 and 1pm on Tuesday when the hearing on bail application by Rane in high court and the session court had yet to begin. Despite which, he told the IPS officer on other side that the application was rejected. He also orders the officer to arrest Union minister by using force. The entire episode is shaky and needs to be investigated by a central agency like CBI,” he said. BJP’s district vice president from Nallasopara, Vishwas Sawant, has filed an FIR against Parab for ‘misuse of power’.

There was no reaction from Shiv Sena on the Parab issue or Thackeray’s past remarks on BJP leaders.

BJP meanwhile is still gauging the repercussion and the impact of the entire episode on their prospects in the forthcoming local body elections in the state. Senior party leaders have been very cautious while giving statements over the Rane remarks against Thackeray and said that they do not justify it. “Though the aggressive style of politics of Rane is liked by a section of leaders in the party, others fear it may backfire if Sena manages to portray it as an insult to the state. We have also apprehension that it may turn in favour of Sena. Sena workers are galvanized if their pride towards party and leadership was hurt. Though we are firm on standing by Rane during this episode, there would be an assessment within party over its long-term stand over it,” said a senior BJP leader requesting anonymity.

BJP had strategically inducted Rane in the union cabinet last month to utilise him against Sena in Maharashtra. The party believes that the firebrand leader, who is staunch opponent of Sena for more than 15 years, could help the party in denting Sena on its home turf in Mumbai and Konkan.

The high voltage drama began on Tuesday morning after Nashik Police issued an arrest order on Tuesday morning against Narayan Rane for his statement against chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Rane was arrested from Sangameshwar in Ratnagirin in the evening and was granted bail at midnight at district court in Mahad. Rane got relief from further action till September 17 by the Bombay high court. Police have been restrained from any action or summons against him till next hearing.

The political protest by Sena and BJP workers continued on Wednesday. BJP held protests at Nashik, Shirdi, Nanded to condemn the arrest of the union minister and demanding action against Sena workers for attack on their offices. The BJP workers also burnt the copies of Sena mouthpiece Saamana in parts of Konkan. Sena workers, too, held protests in Jalna, Yavatmal to condemn the statement by Rane. Cases against more than 130 people were registered in Nashik on the party workers from Sena and BJP for the clash between them on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena workers continued to threaten Rane over his remarks. Party’s Hingoli legislator Santosh Bangar while talking to the media 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 was seen threatening on various Marathi TV 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. He said that BJP’s restraint should not be seen as a weakness by the Sena.

Sena defended Bangar saying it was a reaction to the action. “Shiv Sainiks are emotional about their chief and Narayan Rane provoked them with such insulting remarks. It’s Rane’s fault that is facing such backlash,” said Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande.

Nitesh, Rane’s younger son and BJP MLA tweeted a video indicating that the befitting reply will be given for the action against his father. He also criticized CM Thackeray for felicitating party workers involved in violent protests outside Rane’s Juhu house on Tuesday.

During a press conference in Mahad on Monday, Rane passed a controversial remark against Thackeray. Referring to the mis-reference given by the CM about the number of years to the Independence day, Rane said that he would have given a tight slap had he been present there. Thackeray had confused between the Hirak and Amrut Mahotsav of independence during his speech at Mantralaya on August 15. He had to enquire about it with the chief secretary of state standing behind him.

“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,” Rane had said.

Four FIRs were registered against him by Sena workers against Rane seeking his arrest.

Claiming that the he was not arrested by police, but he accompanied them in his own car on their request, Rane said on Wednesday that the yatra would not stop. Rane also said that the party would not keep quite until the death case of Disha Salian was taken to the logical end of the involvement of a minister in the case. He said that the BJP would fight the legal battle in legitimate way to ensure that the minister get punished for his involvement in the case. The union minister also hit out at Shiv Sena and said that they should brace for the reaction of an attempt of attack his Juhu residence on Tuesday.

Sindhudurg collector K Manjulaxmi has on Tuesday imposed prohibitory orders banning assembly of more than five people for next 15 days. The order, however, would not prohibit the Jan Ashirwad Yatra by Narayan Rane, officials from collectorate said.

Shiv Sena leader and Guhagar MLA Bhaskar Jadhav said that Shiv Sena was not against the Jan Ashirwad Yatra by Rane. “Shiv Sena is not against Jan Ashirwad Yatra and if he wants to resume it in Sindhudurg he may apply for the official permissions from the administration. It’s up to the administration to concede it or not, but curfew in Sindhudurg has not been imposed to oppose the Yatra. It was imposed keeping the history of violence in the district during the political clashes in mind. After yesterday’s arrest, Rane would not dare to use any foul language against our leader. He has given such undertaking in the court. We wish that he holds his Yatra the way it is as expected by his leadership,” he said.

Shiv Sena leader and spokesperson Sachin Ahir said, “The law is equal for all. We do not deny it, but Rane has been targetting our party and leadership continuously without any reason for last two years since our government is formed in the state. Whatever Uddhavji has been speaking against leaders from BJP has been political reaction over the issues pertaining to that particular time. We do not justify the violence and objectional language used by our workers, but it’s out of the reaction to the remarks by Rane. Action has been taken against them as well.”

Sena’s Guhagar MLA and former miniser Bhaskar Jadhav said, “Rane too should think why aggressive reaction came over his reaction and why the Jan Ashirwad Yatra by other three union ministers concluded without any hindrance. The remarks by Rane were out of frustration and a deliberate attempt to provoke Sena leadership.”