Sanjay Raut rakes up Yogi Adityanath’s 'Lord Hanuman was Dalit' remarks to slam BJP

Bringing up UP CM Yogi Adityanath's 2018 remark that Lord Hanuman was a "Dalit and a forest dweller", Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, "If people who make such statements are telling us about Hanuman Chalisa, then Choubey should read 'Yogi Chalisa'."

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New Delhi: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday (April 30) raked up Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s old remark on Hanuman to hit out at the BJP. 

Amid the Hanuman Chalisa row in Maharashtra, Raut said the Shiv Sena is combating those who plan to "divide the country by causing riots" in the name of the Hindu deity, adding that party founder, late Bal Thackeray, would have been happy with the party cadres for putting up the fight. The Shiv Sena MP was referring to Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey's dig at the Maharashtra government over 'arresting people for reciting Hanuman Chalisa'.

Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut said, "He (Choubey) need not worry about Balasaheb Thackeray. The Shiv Sena is fighting those who plan to divide this country by causing riots in the name of Hanuman Chalisa. Balasaheb Thackeray will shower us with flowers for doing so...He will be happy seeing us do this." 

Bringing up UP CM Yogi Adityanath's 2018 remark that Lord Hanuman was a "Dalit and a forest dweller", Raut said, "If people who make such statements are telling us about Hanuman Chalisa, then Choubey should read 'Yogi Chalisa'."

"We know what Hanuman is. Maharashtra is a worshipper of Lord Ram and Hanuman. You don't worry about Balasaheb Thackeray," the Sena leader was quoted as saying by PTI. 

BJP leader and Union Minister Choubey had said in Pune on Friday, "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." 

On Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's meeting with party leaders today, Raut said the former asked the leaders to give answers to "anti-social organisations and elements" who have "conspired to defame" the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra.

"We observed restraint in some cases earlier since we are in power (in Maharashtra). But if water starts flowing above our head (if things are going out of control), then we will have to drown others in that water," the Rajya Sabha MP stated. 

Amravati MP Navneet Kaur Rana, her MLA-husband Ravi Rana, had announced that they would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra CM's private residence 'Matoshree' in Mumbai last Saturday. The couple was later arrested and booked under sedition and other charges.

(With PTI inputs)