Union leader arrested for remarks against Uddhav Thackeray, BJP offices across Maharashtra vandalized by Shiv Sena
Referring to Uddhav Thackeray's recent speech, Narayan Rane allegedly said in a statement on Monday, "he did not know the year of independence. If I had been there, I would have slapped him."
Union Minister Narayan Rane has been detained by the police over his ‘slap Uddhav’ remark against the Maharashtra Chief Minister enraging Shiv Sena which has seen several clashes across the state.
Workers of Maharashtra’s ruling Shiv Sena and Narayana Rane’s supporters clashed in several cities this morning after three FIRs were registered against the BJP leader for his remarks.
Nashik Police Commissioner Deepak Pandey on Monday morning said a police team was on the way to arrest Narayan Rayne. The police have asked SP Ratnagiri to take Narayan Rane into custody and hand him over to the Nashik police team.
“While arresting Rane the police will follow all protocols with regard to a Union Minister,” said the officer.
During his speech on Monday evening at a hall in Mahad city in Raigad, Rane said, “It is shameful that the chief minister does not know the year of independence. He leaned back to enquire about the count of years of independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given (him) a tight slap.”
The Sena alleges that Rane, a former leader of the party, has been looking to create trouble in the state and his remarks are a part of his strategy to provoke tension.
While reacting to his comments, Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut alleged that Rane had lost his mental balance after he was inducted into the Union Cabinet of the Modi government. “Modi should clean up his Cabinet by showing them the door. Rane was inducted in the Cabinet just to attack the Shiv Sena, and while doing his job, he stooped to a new low,” he added.
The Cyber Police in Nashik has booked Rane under sections 500, 505(2), 153 (b) (1) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after a complaint from the local unit chief of Shiv Sena, following which the police commissioner issued an order to arrest the Union minister and formed a team. In Pune, the FIR has been registered under sections 153 and 505 of the IPC, following a complaint by Yuva Sena. The third FIR in Mahad was also registered on a complaint from a Shiv Sena worker.
