Mumbai/New Delhi, August 24: There has been uproar in state politics after Union Minister Narayan Rane was arrested for allegedly threatening to slap Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Police first reached Sangameshwar police station in Nashik after taking the Union minister into custody from Gadvali village near Chiplun in Ratnagiri. He was then handed over to the Mahad police in a dramatic manner. This is being done on the basis of a case being registered against Rane there as well.
On the other hand, there are allegations that Maharashtra Police is deliberately delaying Rane’s production in the court. Here, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda has tweeted that Rane’s arrest is completely un-democratic. We are fully prepared to fight the circumstances arising out of this arrest.
By the time the news was written, the police were on their way to Mahad with Narayan Rane. There they are likely to be produced in court. Earlier there was news that preparations were being made to take him from Sangameshwar police station to Nashik court.
Meanwhile, the Mahad police sought his custody. During this, Rane’s medical checkups were done twice in the police station itself on the complaint of increasing blood pressure.
It is to be known that on Monday, Narayan Rane was accused of slapping Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in Mahad in Raigad district. After this, Shiv Sena district president of Nashik district Sudhakar Badgujar lodged a case against Rane at the cyber police station. On this, Deputy Commissioner of Police of Nashik district Deepak Pandey issued an order to arrest Narayan Rane immediately and present him in the court.
Narayan Rane applied for anticipatory bail in Ratnagiri District Court, which was turned down by District Court Judge Sandeep Shinde. Then the High Court refused an urgent hearing on Narayan Rane’s application.
Before the arrest of Narayan Rane, Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis had said that the BJP is not with Rane’s statement, but the way action is being prepared against Rane, the party will support Rane in the fight.
Fadnavis had said that even if Rane was arrested, the Jan Ashirwad Yatra would continue. Now the BJP’s national president has also tweeted and indicated that the party will stand with Rane completely. Nadda tweeted on Tuesday, “The arrest of Union Minister Narayan Rane ji by the Maharashtra government is a violation of constitutional values. We will neither be scared nor suppressed by such action. These people are troubled by the immense support the BJP is getting in the Jan-Aashirvad Yatra. We will continue to fight democratically, the journey will continue.”
State BJP president Chandrakant Patil had also made a similar statement alleging that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of Maharashtra was misusing power. Party leaders reminded that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray himself has been making such statements.
However, Narayan Rane’s statement before his arrest became a point of conflict between Shiv Sena and BJP workers. Shiv Sainiks also staged violent protests at Rane’s residence and his family-owned mall in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have accused the Shiv Sena of misusing the government and the police. The leaders said that the people of Shiv Sena are committing hooliganism under the protection of the police.
