In the latest development to the Hanuman Chalisa row, the Maharashtra government has invoked charges under the Sedition Act against the MLA Ravi Rana and his MP wife Navneet Rana, who were arrested earlier by the Mumbai Police over allegedly promoting enmity between different groups
The stand-off took place after Ranas announced to reach ‘Matoshree’, and recite Hanuman Chalisa outside chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s family residence. Enraged over their dare, Shiv Sainiks blocked the couple’s Khar residence from Saturday morning and shouted slogans against them throughout the day. Hundreds of Shiv Sena workers pushed aside barricades and entered the premises of Ranas’ building despite heavy police deployment.
The couple later announced that they’ve withdrawn their plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree’, “in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai“. While the Ranas were arrested on charges of promoting enmity between different groups, they in turn demanded an FIR be registered against CM Uddhav Thackeray and senior Sena leaders. Following the complaint, the Mumbai police filed an FIR against unknown people, leading to arrest of 16 Shiv Sainiks for gathering outside Ranas’ home and threatening them.
The couple was booked under section 34, 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups based on religion, race, place of birth, language and doing acts prejudicial to maintainace of harmony) of the IPC and 37 (1) and 135 A of the Bombay Police Act.
The stand-off between the sides snowballed by evening, with other political parties jumping into it. Some BJP leaders protested outside Bandra police station around midnight, while former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis slammed Shiv Sena over “losing control in the state”. “What sort of politics is this? Shiv Sainiks gathered at multiple places and many of them also attacked leaders on Friday (Mohit Khamboj),” he said.
Fadnavis had also tweeted: “Heart wrenching incidents in Maharashtra. When there is no action on attacks on @BJP4Mumbai’s #PolKhol Yatra & total ignorance towards threatening remarks for woman by #MVA leaders, MVA slapped IPC 153(A) on MP Navneet Rana & Ravi Rana who just came for chanting of #HanumanChalisa (sic).”
Former Union minister Prakash Javadekar called the arrest “unconstitutional”. “Lok Sabha MP and her husband were at their home. Police can stop them from going to ‘Matoshree’ but how can they stop them from going out of their own house?” he questioned.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s Mumbai Prabhari Preeti Sharma Menon posted a sarcastic message on Twitter. “I suggest Uddhav Thackeray should organise a week-long repetitive chant of Hanuman Chalisa at Azad Maidan, and invite MNS chief Raj Thackeray and BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis. These leaders should be asked to attend along with their followers and proxies. That way they can have their fill, and our state can continue to function,” she said.
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