Maharashtra: Narayan Rane continues his attacks on Shiv Sena, CM Thackeray

Rane stirred a controversy by alleging that a Sena leader had conspired to throw acid on his own sister-in-law. Rane did not name any leader and said that the additional information over the issue will be given at the appropriate time.

Without taking any names, Union micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) minister Narayan Rane launched a full-fledged attack on the Shiv Sena and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, as he resumed his Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Ratnagiri district on Friday. Rane’s yatra, which began on August 19, came to a halt on August 24, after his arrest and release on bail for his “slap the CM” remarks. The day saw a fresh round of slugfest between the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party, amid attack, counter attacks and threats from both the sides.

Narayan Rane (HT PHOTO)

Rane stirred a controversy by alleging that a Sena leader had conspired to throw acid on his own sister-in-law. Rane did not name any leader and said that the additional information over the issue will be given at the appropriate time. “Who ordered the acid attack on his sister-in-law? Are these sanskars? I will expose them step by step. Disha Salian and Sushant Singh Rajput cases are yet under investigation. The law is equal for all and would not tolerate hooliganism. I will start giving back in two days after recovering from bad throat,” he said. Rane also raised questions over murders of Jayant Jadhav and Ramesh More, two former Shiv Sena workers. He also warned Shiv Sena leadership that he will expose more cases related to Sena leaders if they (Sena) continued to target him.

Reacting to Rane’s allegations, Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut said he would request the state government to reopen criminal cases related to Rane. “While levelling allegations against others, Rane should first speak about the murders of his cousin Ankush Rane and firing on Chintu Shaikh in Mumbai. A few years ago, leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis had read out a list of criminal cases against Rane in the legislative council. We will request the state to investigate into them,” he said.

Rane resumed his yatra from Ratnagiri and later proceeded to his home district, Sindhudurg . He will conclude the yatra in Sindhudurg on August 29.

As part of the party’s outreach programme by newly inducted union ministers, Rane had embarked on Jan Ashirwad Yatra on August 19 from Mumbai. The yatra has been in the limelight from day 1 because of his statements and his attacks against Shiv Sena and its leadership.

The controversy began as Rane, while referring to CM Uddhav Thackeray’s August 15 speech at Mantralaya, said that he would have slapped the CM had he been present there. Thackeray had allegedly goofed up between the Hirak (60th/diamond jubilee) and Amrut (75th/platinum) year of the independence and enquired about it with an official standing behind him. After his arrest and the release on bail late on Tuesday, Rane took a break of two days. He underwent a health check-up at a private hospital on Thursday after his blood sugar level went up. Though he was scheduled to take a chopper from a farm house at Karjat on Friday, the schedule saw a last-minute change due to his health issues. Rane took the chopper from Mumbai.