Mumbai Police on Saturday arrested independent MLA Ravi Rana and his wife MP Navneet Rana for 'creating enmity between different groups' after the couple announced their plan to recite 'Hanuman Chalisa' in front of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's residence. The arrest, which was made in the evening even though the couple had backed off on their plan, has sparked off a political war of words with the BJP terming it an embarrassment to Maharashtra.
"It is an utter embarrassment for the state to witness such a poor show. All this is happening before the people," said former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. He also asked if the arrest indicated that "people have lost their right to express their views", and why those who speak about democratic values were "selectively silent."
Earlier in the day, speaking in Nagpur, Fadnavis said the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government's way of handling the entire episode was "very childish". "If allowed, the Rana couple would have gone there (Matoshree), recited Hanuman Chalisa and returned without creating any news. I don't understand why so many people had gathered at several places as if they (Rana couple) were planning some attack. What kind of politics is this?" the BJP leader said.
Ravi Rana is an independent MLA from Badnera and Navneet is an independent MP from Amravati.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said some "bogus people" were trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the state and were being backed by the BJP. He challenged Navneet Rana to get elected from Amravati seat once again, adding that anyone who tried to test the patience of his party would be "buried 20 feet beneath the earth".
"She used a bogus certificate to fight and win the Lok Sabha poll from Amravati. It is a scam and the Centre is helping her. She lost the case in the High Court and now the case is going on in the Supreme Court," he claimed.
The Congress party said some people are creating a political controversy over the recital of Hanuman Chalisa to divert the people's attention from the issues of unemployment and price rise.
Talking to reporters, Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat said the Central government has "failed" on all fronts and people are suffering due to the hike in prices of fuel and unemployment.
"To divert attention from all these issues, some people are deliberately stoking political controversy by announcing to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of chief minister Uddhav Thackeray," Thorat alleged.
The Ranas were arrested from their residence in suburban Khar and booked under IPC section 153 (A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), and section 135 of the Mumbai Police Act (violation of prohibitory orders of police).
Both Ravi Rana and Navneet submitted a complaint against Thackeray, Raut, and Sena leader and state transport minister Anil Parab, accusing them of instigating people to 'kill' them.
Earlier in the day, a large number of Sena workers thronged in front of the couple's residene, said the Ranas would not be allowed to leave until they apologized for insulting Matoshree, their "temple". Sena workers also tried to break through barricades and enter the building in the morning, but were stopped by police.
