'Bal Thackeray's soul would have been...': Union Min targets Uddhav over Navneet Rana's arrest, Shiv Sena responds

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On the ongoing Navneet Rana Hanuman Chalisa controversy, Union Minister of State for Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Friday attacked Uddhav Thackeray and said that the soul of Bal Thackeray, a staunch Hindu and founder of Shiv Sena would have been hurt over the arrest of someone who wanted to recite Hanuman Chalisa, reported PTI

“Of late, I have seen here that arrests were made for reciting the Hanuman Chalisa or taking the name of Lord Ram. The soul of Thackeray saheb (late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray) would have been hurt," Kumar told reporters in Pune.

The statements came as a political controversy erupted in Maharashtra after Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana were arrested by Mumbai police after the couple had earlier announced their plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Uddhav Thackeray`s private residence `Matoshree` in Mumbai.

Both were arrested over the charges of sedition on March 23.

A Mumbai court earlier denied bail to the politician couple. Another bail hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday.

Shiv Sena’s response

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said that his party is fighting against those who plan to divide the country by causing riots in the name of Hanuman Chalisa, and party founder, late Bal Thackeray, would have been happy with the party cadres for resisting such attempts.

"We know what Hanuman is. Maharashtra is a worshipper of Lord Ram and Hanuman. You don't worry about Balasaheb Thackeray," the Sena leader added.

The Rajya Sabha member also said Thackeray "may have shed a single drop of tear after the BJP betrayed the Shiv Sena".

Shiv Sena blames BJP

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has blamed the BJP for orchestrating communal unrest in the state by instigating the Rana couple to start the Hanuman Chalisa.

Loudspeaker Row

The Union Minister further urged the state governments to follow norms regarding loudspeakers adding that "people are facing several problems due to noise pollution."

"Norms and rules are available to combat it. Loudspeakers should not be used late at night or early in the morning. If any state government is following the norms, then it is good," he said.

The minister was making a reference to the Uttar Pradesh government`s data which claims that nearly 11,000 thousand loudspeakers have been removed from religious places and the volume of 35,221 has been lowered.

The loudspeaker controversy began after the MNS chief and Uddhav Thackeray’s estranged cousin Raj Thackeray asked the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3 while warning that if the demand isn`t met, his party members will put loudspeakers to play `Hanuman Chalisa’ outside the mosques.