Row over Rane’s remarks: 3 FIRs in Mumbai after clashes between Sena, BJP workers

Meanwhile, Narayan Rane faces another FIR after a case was registered against him in Thane on Tuesday afternoon for his remarks against Maharashtra CM

Mumbai Police on Tuesday evening registered three first information reports (FIR) following protests and clashes between Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) workers that erupted after Union minister Narayan Rane’s objectionable comments on Maharashtra chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray.

Narayan Rane interacts with the media during an event in Chiplun, hours before his arrest on Tuesday. (Anil Phalke/HT)

Santacruz police station has registered two cross FIRs under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Disaster Management Act against eight known accused and some unknown persons in the both cases.

Vishwas Nangre Patil, joint commissioner of police (law and order), said that a large crowd had gathered outside Rane’s Juhu residence and started shouting slogans against the Shiv Sena. Workers from the Sena also reached the spot and began abusing BJP workers, after which a clash took place between the two groups.

The police tried to restrain the crowd and disperse them to avert any injuries.

“There was adequate police force to prevent the clashes but a mob came and resorted to stone pelting. We, however, dispersed the crowd before any untoward incident took place,” said Patil.

The third FIR was registered at Kasturba Marg police station in Borivli (East) under the relevant sections of IPC and the Bombay Police Act against six people and 80-90 unidentified people.

The officers said that the accused were detained at the respective police stations later in the evening.

Another FIR against Rane

Meanwhile, Rane faces another FIR after a case was registered against him in Thane on Tuesday afternoon for his remarks against Thackeray. According to Naupada police, the FIR was filed on the basis of a complaint by Thane mayor Naresh Mhaske, who reached the police station around 11.30am on Tuesday.

“I believe that Rane’s statement has the potential to create disharmony and enmity in the society as well as harm the image of the CM. What he has said can lead to clashes between activists of different parties,” Mhaske told the police in his statement.

An officer with Naupada police said, “Based on Mhaske’s statement, an FIR on defamation and making statements amounting to public mischief under the Indian Penal Code has been filed against Rane.”

Rane’s statement has led to clashes between Shiv Sena and BJP members in Thane too. Shiv Sainiks pelted stones and threw ink bottles at BJP office in Khopat. BJP workers raised slogans against the Shiv Sena.

In Kalyan (West), several Shiv Sena leaders thronged outside BJP office and vandalised its window. They also put a footwear garland on Rane’s effigy. Shiv Sena party workers also staged a protest outside the Kalyan tehsildar’s office. The BJP office at Ahilya Bai Chowk in Kalyan (West) was vandalised and a BJP worker was manhandled. In Kalyan (East), some Shiv Sena workers were detained during their protest.

Protests were organised in Vashi, where the Shiv Sena resorted to rasta rook. In Airoli, Rane’s effigy was thrashed with footwear and burnt, while in Kharghar, the protestors marched to the police station, demanding that a case be registered against him.

Former opposition leader Vijay Chougule of Shiv Sena said, “If anyone thinks that we will sit quietly on challenging our leader Uddhav Thackeray and the Shiv Sena, we will teach them a lesson. Narayan Rane is a senior politician who should know what language he should be used.”

As reports of Rane’s arrest began coming in, Shiv Sena’s Raigad district advisor Baban Patil led the party’s celebrations in Panvel and by bursting crackers.

Meanwhile, the BJP protested against Rane’s arrest.

Protest on Mumbai-Goa road

The women’s cell of Shiv Sena from Raigad staged a protest on the Mumbai- Goa road and in Mahad, claiming that if Rane ever steps foot in Raigad, they would make him wear bangles. The cell had conducted protests at various places in Raigad. Before Rane’s arrest, Sena workers had blocked the Mumbai-Goa highway, demanding an apology by the Union minister over his comment, and also organised a protest at Shivaji Chowk in Mahad.

Sapna Malusare, Mahad panchayat samiti chairman, said, “Rane got his identity because of [late Sena founder] Balasaheb Thackeray. Rane could reach such heights because of the Thackeray family, and today he dared to speak ill of Uddhav Thackeray. If he ever steps in Raigad, we will make him wear bangles.”