Union Minister Narayan Rane was arrested today over his comment on slapping Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for what he called his “ignorance of the year India won Independence”.
Mr Rane, a BJP leader who joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet in July as Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, is the first central minister to be arrested in 20 years. His arrest has become the new flashpoint between allies-turned-rivals Sena and BJP.
Union Minister Narayan Rane was arrested by the police at around 2.25pm on Tuesday for threatening to slap Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Rane is currently touring the state for the BJP’s ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ from Mumbai to Sindhudurg and the comments were made during a rally in Chiplun, Ratnagiri district, on Monday night. The BJP leader had claimed that Thackeray forgot the year of independence during his August 15 address to the people of the state and had to check the detail with his aides midway during the speech.
Nashik Police Commissioner Deepak Pandey issued orders for Rane’s immediate arrest after an FIR was registered against him in the north Maharashtra city. He was taken into custody by police in coastal Ratnagiri district, where he is travelling as part of the Jan Ashirwad Yatra, an official said.
Rane was taken to the Sangameshwar police station after being taken into custody, the official said. There were reports that the BJP leader complained of high blood pressure and sugar levels and a doctor was called to examine him.
Slamming the Maharashtra government for the arrest of Union minister Narayan Rane, BJP president JP Nadda on Tuesday said it was violative of constitutional values, and his party will not be be cowed down by such actions. In a tweet, Nadda said the “huge” response the BJP has received in its ‘Jan Aashirvad Yatra’ has jolted its rivals. “We fight democratically. The yatra will continue,” he said.
The minister was arrested while he was having his meal, shortly after the Bombay High Court rejected his request for an urgent hearing on his petition for protection against action.
Mr Rane’s lawyer told the court: “The police have arrived to arrest him, they are waiting at his doorstep.” The High Court responded: “Please follow the procedure. Don’t make us do the job of the registry.”
The comments sparked Shiv Sena protests and FIRs were filed in three cities listing non-bailable offences.
Mr Rane had lashed out at the media for reporting his ”imminent arrest”, saying he was no ordinary man.
The BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis said he didn’t support Mr Rane’s comments but compared the police action to the Taliban.
“I want to make it clear that we do not support the comment about the Chief Minister but we will stand by Rane with all our strength. I want to tell the police commissioner that if there is no action against those who attacked our offices then both opposition leaders will sit on dharna at the police commissioner’s office. There should be a rule of law, not Taliban rule.”
Sena MP Vinayak Raut demanded his removal from the central government.
“To impress the BJP leadership, Rane has been attacking Shiv Sena and its leaders. He lost his mental balance after his induction into the Modi-led ministry. Modi should show him the door,” Mr Raut said.
The Sena-BJP clashes come months before the February elections to Mumbai’s civic body BMC – a high-stakes battle that has amped up politics in Maharashtra.
Mr Rane, 69, began his political career in the Shiv Sena, then led by Uddhav Thackeray’s father Bal Thackeray. He quit the Sena in 2005 over a rift with the Thackerays.
After a brief stint in the Congress, he joined the BJP in 2019.
