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'Balasaheb Thackeray's son..': BJP's jab over Hanuman Chalisa; Cong says…
Maharashtra Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said Hanuman Chalisa should certainly be read but not in front of someone's residence or a mosque.
As a fresh controversy has broken out on Saturday with Maharashtra MLA Ravi Rana and his wife independent MP Navneet Kaur Rana's plan to chant Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's residence, BJP leader Amit Malviya took a jibe at Thackeray and exclaimed that the son of Balasaheb Thackeray is now scared of Hanuman Chalisa. This again triggers the Sena versus BJP tussle over the Hindutva plank. After Shiv Sena severed its alliance with the BJP and formed the government, Uddhav Thackeray opposed BJP's 'Hindutva' and said Hindutva is not BJP's to claim.
Hanuman Chalisa row: Who are Maharashtra lawmakers Ravi Rana, Navneet Kaur Rana?
To foil the politician couple's plan, Shiv Sena workers on Saturday allegedly attacked their resident in Khar. Police said the situation was brought under control and the couple was asked not to step out of their house.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut and Maharashtra home minister Dilip Walse-Patil said the couple's plan to chant Hanuman Chalisa has more than what meets the eyes; it is a part of a conspiracy to disturb the law and order situation in the state. What's the need to chant Hanuman Chalisa outside 'Matoshree'. They can do it at their home," said Patil.
The Hanuman Chalisa row in Maharashtra broke out after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray issued a warning that if the loudspeakers outside mosques are not taken down, his party will play Hanuman Chalisa through those loudspeakers outside the mosques.
The Rana couple, who are independent politicians, dismissed any hidden conspiracy behind their announced plan and said they always considered Uddhav Thackeray's residence Matoshree as a temple.
"I requested Uddhav Thackeray to recite Hanuman Chalisa on Hanuman Jayanti. CM doesn't come to the Vidharbha region. He hasn't come to Mantralaya for two years. With all these problems in Maharashtra, I asked him to recite Hanuman Chalisa. Uddhav Thackeray has forgotten Hindutva," Ravi Rana had earlier said.
Maharashtra Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam termed the Ranas' plan as a 'cheap publicity stunt' and said, "Hanuman Chalisa should certainly be read. But not in front of anyone's residence or in front of a mosque. That is wrong."
