Union Minister Narayan Rane was arrested earlier on Tuesday over his 'Slap Uddhav' remark on Maharashtra Chief Minister.
Union Minister Narayan Rane, who was arrested in Ratnagiri on Tuesday over his 'Slap Uddhav' remark against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has been granted bail by Mahad court.
After his arrest earlier in the day, Rane was taken to Mahad in Raigad district where he was produced before the court. During the hearing, Mahad police demanded for a 7-day custody of the Union Minister, however, he was granted bail by the court.
Rane was taken to court amidst heavy police security through special arrangements.
The Union Minister had said that he would have slapped Thackeray over the latter’s ignorance of the year of India’s independence.
Cases were registered against the BJP leader at Mahad as well as at Nashik and Pune as his remark set off angry protests by workers of the ruling Shiv Sena.
Rane was taken into custody at Golwali, the ancestral village of former RSS chief Sadashivrao Golwalkar 'Guruji' in Ratnagiri district during his `Jan Ashirwad Yatra', and taken to Sangameshwar police station.
He was then handed over to Raigad police around 2.45 pm in connection with the FIR registered at Mahad, 160 km from Mumbai, a police official said.
The FIR at Mahad was registered under IPC sections 189 (threat of injury to public servant), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of public peace), and 505 (statements conducive to public mischief).
Rane’s supporters staged protests near the Sangameshwar police station after the arrest. After he was taken into custody, a doctor checked him.
A BJP leader claimed that Rane had high blood pressure and sugar levels and doctors advised that he should be hospitalized as he is also a diabetes patient.
The arrest followed Rane's statement targeting Thackeray in Raigad district during the Jan Ashirwad Yatra on Monday.
“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,” Rane had said.
Rane defended his remarks against Thackeray, saying he hasn’t committed any crime by making them.
On media reportage of his 'imminent arrest' in the case, Rane said hours before his arrest that he was not a ‘normal’ man and cautioned the media against such reportage.
“I haven’t committed any crime. You should verify and show it on TV or else I will file a case against you (media). Despite not committing any crime, the media is showing speculative news about my 'imminent' arrest. Do you think I am a normal (ordinary) man?” Rane said.
Rane’s remarks drew sharp reactions from Shiv Sena, whose workers put a poster in Mumbai, calling him a ‘kombdi chor’ (chicken stealer), a reference to the poultry shop he ran in Chembur area five decades ago, during the initial part of his over four-decade-long stint with the Bal Thackeray-led party.
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Rane's remarks against Uddhav Thackeray set off protests in Mumbai and several other cities which included pelting of stones and vandalising offices of BJP in some areas by Shiv Sena cadres.
In Mumbai, activists of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Sena, and the BJP clashed with each other near Rane's residence on the Juhu Tara Road in Santacruz (West).
Stones were pelted from both sides, following which police used cane-charge to disperse the agitators, an official said, adding heavy police security was deployed outside Rane's residence.
The Santacruz police registered an FIR against over 50 workers of the Yuva Sena as well as some BJP workers after the clash for violating COVID-19 norms under the Indian Penal Code and various sections of the CrPc, an official said.
Police are analysing CCTV footage and videos being circulated on social media. Video clips aired on news channels may be used as evidence later against the activists involved in the clash, he said.
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Slamming the Maharashtra government, BJP president J P Nadda said Rane's arrest was violative of constitutional values, and his party will not be cowed down by such actions.
In a tweet, Nadda said the "huge" response the BJP has received in its 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' has jolted its rivals. "We fight democratically. The yatra will continue," he said.
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil distanced himself from Rane's remarks. “I am not defending Rane's comments, but I will also not express regret," Patil said.
Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said the BJP does not support Rane's comments, but the "party stands behind him 100 per cent".
Alleging that the state police force was being used as a tool for "vendetta politics", the former chief minister said there should be law and order and "not Taliban-like governance".
Union minister Ramdas Athawale said Rane didn't intend to insult Thackeray.
"Rane only meant that Thackeray is not doing anything for the development of Maharashtra and he seldom steps out of his residence 'Matoshree' in Mumbai to understand the problems faced by people. Rane meant that such a chief minister does not have the right to occupy the chair," he said.
Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the sacking of Rane over his remarks against the Maharashtra chief minister.
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Raut said it was beyond his comprehension what message Rane would give to society when he was using such language.
"It is also an insult to the prime minister of this country,” Raut said in the letter.
Nashik Police Commissioner Deepak Pandey on Tuesday ordered Rane’s arrest and a team of city police left for the Konkan region.
Rane approached the Bombay High Court, challenging the FIRs registered against him in parts of Maharashtra over his remarks against Thackeray, and sought protection from arrest.
A court in Ratnagiri rejected Rane’s anticipatory bail application.
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