Independent MP from Amravati Navneet Rana and her husband, MLA Ravi Rana, returned to their hometown with a bang on Saturday. The couple put up a show of strength at the Nagpur airport, then recited Hanuman Chalisa at a temple in the city before proceeding to Amravati, around 150 km from Nagpur.
Members of the Yuva Swabhiman Party, headed by Ranas, had put up welcome banners around the city which also announced their visit to Paschimeshwar Maruti temple at Ram Nagar for Chalisa recitation. The banners also had pictures of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) state unit leaders.
Meanwhile, tense moments prevailed for a brief period as supporters of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) too had installed posters announcing to hold a “puja” and chant “Sundarkand” against the growing inflation, near the temple ahead of Ranas’ scheduled visit.
Police managed to avoid any clash between the two parties.
Amid tight security, NCP workers completed their programme between 12 pm and 1.50 am. By the time the Ranas arrived at the temple a little after 2 pm, NCP workers had dispersed. The couple, after reciting Chalisa, headed for Amravati by road.
As a precautionary measure, police on Friday served notices under section 149 (preventive notice to avert cognisable offence) of the Criminal Procedure Code on NCP leaders.
Rohit Matani, DCP, Zone I, said the couple was denied permission to hold a procession from the airport to the temple.
After arriving from Delhi at Nagpur airport, Navneet Rana said, “We were virtually detained at the airport VIP lounge for more than 20 minutes.”
She also questioned how the state government allowed the NCP to set up a pandal near the temple at the same time.
Hitting out at chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the MP called him the stumbling block to the prosperity of Maharashtra.
She said they were going to recite Chalisa and say prayers to help the people of Maharashtra get rid of Shani (planet of obstruction). “Nobody is happy under the Thackeray rule. The Thackeray government has been misusing power. He has been taking action against us for political reasons. We have not committed any crime. We are only reciting Chalisa in a temple. Why should anybody object to it? Is worshiping or saying prayers a crime in Maharashtra? We have been fighting for the welfare of poor people, farmers, and labourers.”
When asked about the pictures of BJP leaders on banners, Navneet said they were carrying the pictures of those who supported their programme to chant Chalisa.
She further said they had not violated the bail conditions. While granting bail, the court had said the couple should not address the press on any subjects related to the Hanuman Chalisa case and should not commit a similar offence. A breach of any condition would lead to the cancellation of bail, it said.
“We both went to the Hanuman temple in Nagpur to recite Hanuman Chalisa and perform the puja of Sankatmochan,” she said.
NCP leaders in Nagpur claimed it was a coincident that the couple also came to the temple. “Today being a Saturday, and widely believed as a day to worship lord Hanuman, we used the auspicious day to pray before “Sankatmochan Hanumanji” to rid all countrymen of the devastating effects of inflation,” Duneshwar Pethe, president of the NCP’s city unit, said. “It’s not the question of increase in the prices of petroleum products. Now it has extended from foodgrains to vegetables which has burdened the common man,” he said.
Leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis said, “There is no prohibition on chanting Hanuman Chalisa in Maharashtra or anywhere in the county and if anybody is opposing it, it is not right. I do not know what Navneet Rana has said about the chief minister, but everybody should use proper language.”
The couple returned to Amravati after 36 days and for the first time after their arrest in Mumbai.
Ranas were arrested on April 23 in Mumbai after they announced to recite Chalisa outside Thackeray’s Bandra residence. The couple was released on bail by the sessions court on March 4. After taking treatment for spondylitis, Navneet and her husband went to Delhi and met Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla and filed a complaint against the “ill treatment” given to them by the Mumbai police and jail authorities. Navneet appeared before the privileges committee of Lok Sabha to record her statement. The committee has now summoned Maharashtra director general of police Rajnish Seth, Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pandey, and superintendent of Byculla women’s jail Yashwant Phad to record their statements in connection with the allegations by the MP.
On May 14, the couple recited Chalisa at a Delhi temple.