BJP MLA Nitesh Rane (right) took on Udhayanidhi Stalin over his remarks on Sanatan Dharma. (PTI File)
BJP MLA Nitesh Rane said: “Why should we tolerate strong statements against our Hindu dharma? We dare him to come to the court. We are also waiting to welcome him in our own style. Nobody should be able to speak against the Hindu dharma again…”
Nitesh Rane, son of leader Narayan Rane and a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Maharashtra, has dared Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin to come to Maharashtra, and warned that if he does, he “won’t go back on his own feet” over his remarks seeking “eradication of the Sanatan Dharma”.
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The Mira Road police in Mumbai have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Stalin following a complaint by a local resident. “We are waiting for him to the come to the court. We dare him to come. We are also waiting to welcome him in our own style. Let the law take its own course. We are waiting. Nobody should be able to speak against the Hindu dharma again… If such people come to our state of Maharashtra, we will ensure they don’t go back on their own feet,” Rane, also a BJP spokesperson, told CNN-News18.
“Why should we tolerate strong statements against our Hindu dharma? If the same statements were made against Islam or Prophet Mohammed, would it have been okay? What happened to Nupur Sharma ji? She was given death threats. A lot of their people came out saying her head will be chopped. As Hindus, why should we tolerate an insult or a comment on eradication of Sanatan Dharma? We will have the same stance if any member of the DMK gives any strong statement against the Hindu dharma,” he said.
THE REMARK
Likening “Sanatana Dharma to coronavirus, malaria, fever caused by dengue virus and mosquitoes”, Udhayanidhi, son of Tamil Nadu CM and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin, on September 3 said it is against equality and social justice and it should be eradicated. “Such things should not be opposed, but destroyed”.
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Speaking exclusively to News18 a day later, Udhayanidhi had said, “It’s their (BJP’s) habit of spreading fake news. I will always stick to whatever I said, and I will say it again and again. I never spoke about genocide. I only spoke about ‘Sanatan’, what practices they follow, and I definitely stand against it. I will never step back from whatever I said.”
RANE ATTACKS UDDHAV
Rane went ahead to slam Uddhav Thackeray for failing to take a strong stand for Hindutva.
“It is very clear that Uddhav Thackeray cannot claim that he is the son of Balasaheb Thackeray. Thackeray was a strong supporter of Hindutva and he had taken a firm stance for Hindu samaj throughout his life, even when the Ayodhya incident happened,” he said.
“Today, Uddhav Thackeray didn’t say a word when his own alliance partners spoke openly against Hindutva and threatened the Sanatan Dharma. He is hand-in-glove with them,” Rane said.
He added that Uddhav Thackeray had failed to carry ahead the legacy of Thackeray. “If by mistake he comes to power in Maharashtra, he will make it an Islamic state,” Rane said.