Bala Saheb Thackeray – the founder of Shiv Sena must be rolling in his metaphorical grave watching the current state of the party that he built from the ground up for the cause of Hindutva. The party that once dared to do anything to protect Hindus is now fearful of a meek Hindu couple wishing to recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of its egotistical leaders’ house. Now, invoking section 124A of IPC, sedition law has been slapped on the couple as they stare at an uphill legal battle as Uddhav Thackeray employs his entire state machinery to pin them under his thumb.
It all started on Saturday last week when independent MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana announced that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Uddhav Thackeray’s residence Matoshree, triggering protests in the city — and counter-protests outside the couple’s residence by Shiv Sainiks.
The duo later announced the decision to cancel the plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of Uddhav’s house in the wake of PM Modi’s visit to Mumbai on Sunday. However, Uddhav pressed his police force into action and managed to get the couple arrested.
#WATCH Shiv Sena workers protest outside the residence of Amravati MP Navneet Rana in Mumbai as the MP plans to chant Hanuman Chalisa along with her husband MLA Ravi Rana outside 'Matoshree' the residence of #Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray pic.twitter.com/OR7CQQpWlk
— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2022
Mumbai Police slaps sedition on the couple
Mumbai Police informing the media on Monday stated that an FIR under multiple Sections of the IPC — including 124A and 153A (promoting enmity) — and the Bombay Police Act has been filed against the lawmaker couple. They were also slapped by another FIR under IPC Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty).
Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat talking about the sedition law remarked, “Section 124A (sedition) has been invoked against them for the hate and dislike that they invoked against the government and the Chief Minister and the way they have challenged the writ of the state machinery.”
It is important to note that it was Uddhav’s cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray who had initially called for Hanuman Chalisa recitals in public if mosques used loudspeakers for azaan.
Wil bury them 20 ft under ground – Sanjay Raut on Navneet and Ravi Rana
Meanwhile, the attacks continued to flow against the couple. Loudmouth Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut threatened to bury the Rana’s 20 feet below the ground if they came anywhere near Matoshree. He said, “I am saying this on record. Will bury you 20ft below if you mess with Matoshree. This is not real Hindutva. What you are spreading is a poison of hatred. We will suppress such tactics.”
Will Shiv Sainiks sit quietly if someone from outside says that they'll come &chant Hanuman Chalisa at 'Matoshree'? If you try to come to our residence,then we also have the right to answer in the same language. Don't give us threats of imposing President's Rule here: Sanjay Raut pic.twitter.com/SLa1xZ4VUO
— ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2022
Other Maha Vikas Aghadi ministers also displayed similar levels of insecurities regarding Hanuman Chalisa. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar in a public speech resorted to hurling abuses at the couple and remarked, “Some people have questioned CM Thackeray to recite Hanuman Chalisa or else they will recite it in front of Matoshree. Tere baap ka kya jata hai? Tu Kaun hai Chot*e? H*rami…(What does your father got to do with this? What kind of a bugger are you?)”
He also added, “Tere baap ka Naukar hai kya?” (Is the CM the servant of your father?). Such neech, nalayak and h*rami people have come to use the Hanuman Chalisa to divide people. As you all know, among Hindus, there’s a tradition of seeking the blessings of Hanuman before marriage. Now, these buggers will tell us to read the Hanuman Chalisa?”
कुणाच्या घरावर जाऊन आंदोलन करणे याला आमचा विरोधचं..पण हनुमान चालिसाचे पठण करणे हा हिंदूस्थानात देशद्रोह कसा काय होऊ शकतो
तसेच महिलांबद्दल अशी गलिच्छ भाषा वापरण्याऱ्या मंत्र्यांचा मी निषेध करते अशांचं जोपर्यंत महिला खेटरं पुजन करणार नाही तोपर्यंत यांचा मेंदू ठिकाण्यावर येणार नाही pic.twitter.com/WgiJ74MYKc— Chitra Kishor Wagh (Modi ka Parivar) (@ChitraKWagh) April 25, 2022
Read More: Bal Thackeray’s Saamna is now officially National Herald 2.0
MVA leaders are threatened by the mere recital of Hanuman Chalisa
Both these leaders have used far more threatening, coarse and sinister language for the Rana couple. Navneet Rana only wanted to recite Hanuman Chalisa. She did not threaten Uddhav Thackeray of his life or any damage to his property and yet she has been slapped with sedition.
However, here we have two public lawmakers who are openly calling for burying the victim in the ground and yet the Mumbai police is observing a stoic silence.
India is a free country and ordinary people are allowed to lodge their protests in front of lawmakers, especially when they happen to be the chief minister of one of the biggest states in the country. A person cannot be arrested for merely planning a protest exercise. This is a gross violation of Human rights and yet the entire left-liberal machinery is keeping mum on the issue.
And what exactly is Shiv Sena’s problem with Hanuman Chalisa. After all, Hanuman Chalisa is recited to ward off evil spirits or Bhoot-Pisach as it is referred to in Hindi and established by both Tulsidas and Valmiki.
Read More: Shiv Sena has officially dropped Hindutva as Uddhav mocks Hindu sensitivities with Gaumutra jibe
Strong parallels between barbarian Aurangzeb and Tulsidas
It is pertinent to note that Tulsidas composed Hanuman Chalisa while he was imprisoned by Mughal barbarian Aurangzeb. When Aurangzeb challenged Tulsidas to show the lord to him, he replied that Rama could only be seen with true devotion. This angered the Islamist ruler and he put the poet behind bars.
Notice the same parallels between Aurangzeb and Uddhav Thackeray? How both imprisoned those trying to recite Hanuman Chalisa or show their devotion to the Hindu Gods? Thus, one can easily infer how catastrophically low Shiv Sena has fallen in its pursuit of protecting the Hindus and their rights.
It is said that reciting Hanuman Chalisa eliminates disagreements and promotes unanimity and contentment. It promotes harmony and eliminates unnecessary arguments by making one aware. Consequently, if the couple had recited Hanuman Chalisa, they would have been only doing social service by passing a universal message.
However, the ‘proud’ son of late Hindu Hriday Samrat Bala Saheb Thackeray certainly believes otherwise. He may allow “Azaan” to flow uninterrupted out of loudspeakers 24/7 in the state but dare one recite a paragraph of Hanuman Chalisa — all hell breaks loose. This is the secular Maharashtra of our time where reciting Hanuman Chalisa is a threatening act.
