Rane, Sena cross swords

The rivalry between Shiv Sena and its arch-rival, State Minister for Revenue Narayan Rane turned shriller on Monday when the latter, without naming Sena Working President Uddhav Thackeray, remarked “what can be expected of a person who puts mud on the statue of his own mother for political interests. How can we expect him to respect our revered national figures?” He said this while speaking to newspersons at Vidhan Bhavan media enclosure.

Taking pot-shots at Shiv Sena’s reverence for Shivaji Maharaj, he quipped, “I am a through-bread Maratha (96 kuli Maratha, highest-ranking lineage amongst Marathas). We do not make capital out of Shivaji Maharaj’s name.”

Referring to last year’s incident involving the desecration of late Meenatai Thackeray’s statue at Shivaji Park, Dadar Rane said that a person involved in the act, Ashok Kelkar, is now with the Congress and would expose the Sena’s real face in the incident at the appropriate time.

Meanwhile, at ground zero in Ramtek around 32.58 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise by 4.00 pm. Around 26 per cent of the electorate in Erandol and Jalgaon Lok Sabha constituencies cast their ballot. Election Commission sources stated that the voting percentage in Ramtek could finally be around 45 per cent and in Erandol and Jalgaon around 35 per cent.

The April 7 clash between Shiv Sena and Congress workers at Katol, in the last phase of campaign for the Ramtek Lok Sabha by-election rocked both Houses of the State Legislature on Monday. Slogan shouting Shiv Sena and BJP members created an uproar demanding dismissal of Minister for Revenue, Narayan Rane for instigating the attack on Shiv Sena’s office.

Seeking to raise the issue in the Legislative Assembly Sena’s Leader of Opposition, Ramdas Kadam contended that the Revenue Minister was very present at the scene of the attack. He added that Rane had even exalted Congress workers into attacking the Sena office and vandalising the portrait of Shivaji Maharaj.

Kadam threatened to stall the proceedings of the House. As Sena members trooped in the Well of the House, Rane argued that the Congress, with the government’s approval had held a road show on the last day of campaigning. In a bid to stop it, the Sena-BJP cadres indulged in rioting, stone pelting and beat up the Congress cadres.

The Revenue Minister contended that no cases were registered against him under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and 395 (dacoity) of IPC and argued that a false complaint had been lodged against him.

Speaking to newspersons, Rane remarked “they do not even understand the difference between a police complaint and an FIR. No where does the FIR mention these IPC sections.”

In the Legislative Council too, the Opposition created uproar over the issue, forcing Deputy Chairman Vasant Davkhare to adjourn the House for the day, after passing three bills.

As Council Chairman Shivajirao Deshmukh rejected the Opposition’s motion for a debate, the leaders started shouting slogans against the government and its support for the alleged violence. Madhukar Sarpotdar charged Narayan Rane of monitoring the attack on Shiv Sena office in Katol. “The party workers participating in the Congress road show attacked the Shiv Sena office. Shivaji’s statue was damaged and office was defaced at gun point.”