Mumbai: The Maharashtra MP-MLA couple, who were in a standoff with Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, have been placed in judicial detention for 14 days. Navneet Kaur, an Amravati MP, and her husband, Ravi Rana, were arrested on Saturday for allegedly inciting the public after telling the Chief Minister that they would sing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ outside his Bandra residence – ‘Matoshree.’
The couple had earlier on Saturday alleged that they were not allowed to leave their home because of a huge deployment of cops and a massive protest by the Shiv Sena workers. They had warned they would chant the hymn in praise of the Hindu God outside the CM’s home, challenging his stance on Hindutva.
Later,however, the lawmaker duo backed off, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai on Sunday. “Our aim was fulfilled, though Ravi Rana and I couldn’t reach ‘Matoshree’ (Thackeray’s Mumbai residence), ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ that was supposed to be chanted by us was chanted by bhakts,” Navneet Rana said shortly before her arrest.
“Shiv Sena has become a party of goons. Uddhav Thackeray only knows how to file offenses against people and put them behind bars. He’s creating a Bengal-like situation in Maharashtra,” she added.
The independent MP-MLA pair was imprisoned shortly after for stirring public dissent. The Ranas have been charged with violating Indian Penal Code 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on the basis of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony), Indian Penal Code 34 (common intention), and Maharashtra Police Act section 135 (violation of prohibitory orders of police).
Kirit Somaiya of the BJP has thrown his support behind the couple, heightening the political drama. He claimed last night that when he went to meet the couple at a Mumbai police station on Saturday night, he was attacked by nearly 100 Shiv Sena members.
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