Maharashtra: Oppn targets BJP over MLA Nitesh Rane's provocative speeches

The opposition in Maharashtra on Monday, 2 September, targeted the BJP over provocative speeches made by its MLA Nitesh Rane and asserted the saffron party wants to engineer riots ahead of the state Assembly polls.

A delegation of Mumbai Congress leaders led by its president Varsha Gaikwad met police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and sought action against the Kankavli MLA and other BJP leaders for making provocative statements.

Rane's father and former Union minister and BJP MP Narayan Rane said he has reprimanded his son and told him not to drag any religion in the matter.

"There is no need to drag any religion but only those who are guilty of it. Not all Muslims are guilty of this, so don't drag the entire community. I have reprimanded him," Narayan Rane said.

The Congress delegation also demanded that the police security of Nitesh Rane and other BJP leaders be withdrawn.

"Inflammatory statements are made in Maharashtra and everyone knows that they enjoy (political) patronage. They keep saying our boss sits in Sagar bungalow," Gaikwad told reporters.

"The statement made by Nitesh Rane and (BJP MLC) Prasad Lad has reference to Sagar bungalow (the residence of deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis) and Devendra Fadnavis Ji. It has to be probed whether they have any political patronage," she said.

Nitesh Rane addressed two public meetings in Shrirampur and Topkhana areas in support of Hindu seer Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj, who was in the news last month for making derogatory remarks about Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

MLA Rane said there would be repercussions if Ramgiri Maharaj is harmed.

In a viral video, Nitesh Rane can be heard saying if anyone says anything against Ramgiri Maharaj, “We will enter your mosques and hit you one by one. Keep this in mind.”

A police official said on Monday that two FIRs have been registered against Nitesh Rane at Shrirampur and Topkhana police stations.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, "You want riots in Maharashtra to win polls. Until they don't engineer riots they cannot face polls."

BJP MP Narayan Rane said he has spoken to his son and reprimanded him. The former Union minister said he asked his son not to drag any community in this.

"I did encounters officially because those who were killed were criminals, traitors and on the list of the police. There was danger to the country from them," the former Maharashtra chief minister said.

NCP (SP) spokesperson Anish Gawande said Nitesh Rane's statement is not a one-off incident, adding the rot runs deeper.

"Contempt cases should be filed against the Maharashtra government itself for violations of Tehseen Poonawala judgment on mob lynching and hate speech. Enough is enough," he said.