Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut Amid agitation by Shiv Sena workers over Independent MLA Ravi Rana and his wife MP Navneet Rana’s announcement to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside the residence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut said Shiv Sena is not born for the power, but power is for Shiv Sena. He added that the party is not afraid of a President’s rule in Maharashtra.
“Don’t threaten us with the imposition of the President’s rule in Maharashtra. I have just spoken with the CM (Uddhav Thackeray). We have gone beyond the President’s rule, CBI and ED. We don’t care about power. We are not born for power. (Shiv Sena supremo) Balasaheb (Thackeray) had said that we are not born for power but the power is for us. Shiv Sena itself is a power. If you want to taste it, you can. Some people have experienced it earlier,” said Raut while speaking to the media in Nagpur.
Raut’s remarks came in response to the BJP’s demand of the imposition of President’s rule citing the current situation in Maharashtra. The Ranas on Friday had said that they would reach Matoshree, the CM’s residence, at 9 am on Saturday to recite the Hanuman Chalisa. However, Shiv Sainiks gathered at the Ranas’ house in Khar in large numbers and subsequently, the police advised the couple to not leave the house.
On Saturday morning, the Ranas through a video message reiterated that they would go to Matoshree to recite the Hanuman Chalisa. The Ranas said they want to recite the Hanuman Chalisa to ward off the calamities that have been hitting the state ever since Uddhav Thackeray took over as the Chief Minister.
Subsequently, hundreds of Sainiks pushed aside barricades and attempted to enter the premises of the Ranas’ Khar residence but were stopped by the police. The Sainiks also gathered in large numbers outside Matoshree in Bandra (East).
Reciting the Hanuman Chalisa has become a simmering issue in Maharashtra’s politics after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on April 2 gave an ultimatum to the government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3 and threatened to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques if they failed to do so.
On Saturday, Raut further said that Shiv Sena doesn’t need the police to protect the houses of their leaders. “If you try to enter our house using the central police force, we don’t need police to protect our houses. Shiv Sainiks are capable of protecting them. Shiv Sainiks are always ready to die and to kill. Since Sena is heading the government, our hands are tied,” he added.
Raut further warned that if the Ranas cross the “Laxman Rekha” and said, “If you are trying to enter Matoshree with the support of someone, will Shiv Sainiks remain silent? Maharashtra is not begging to hear your advice on what the government and the CM should do. If you cross the Laxman rekha, even Shiv Sainiks have the right to enter your house in anger.”
The Sena MP further said that the Shiv Sainiks are not under the control of anyone at the moment. “At the moment, no one has control over the Shiv Sainiks. What happened in Mumbai in two days is an explosion of public sentiment. If you try to enter our house, remember that you have houses too,” Raut warned.
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