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Shiv Sena, in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ on Monday, alleged that the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ row brewing in Maharashtra is the brainchild of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The editorial alleged that the saffron party, in its desperation to throw out the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, is orchestrating the ‘Hanuman Chalisa Row”.

“The recent ruckus stirred up by the Bharathiya Janata Party in the name of Hindutva cannot be supported…the BJP is behind this. They had also planned to disturb the peace of Mumbai using the MP-MLA Rana couple, and everything happened on their instructions that outraged the Shiv Sena workers, and the couple was also not allowed to step outside their home,” the ‘Saamana’ editorial stated.

‘Saamana’, while throwing jibes at Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana for their changing political affiliations, stated that “there is no assurance over the ideological affiliations of this couple”. MP Navneet Rana had earlier opposed lawmakers who were taking oath in the name of Lord Ram in Parliament, ‘Saamana’ said, further added, “it’s astonishing that today the BJP is dancing around at the behest of the said MP over issues like ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and other Hindutava issues”.

The Shiv Sena Mouthpiece also argued that the Rana couple faked their caste certificates in order to contest the Lok Sabha election from a reserved seat. “Mrs. Rana contested the Lok Sabha election from Amravati on the basis of a fake caste certificate. Navneet Kaur Rana, along with her father, Harbhajan Singh Kundless submitted fake documents to get a caste certificate. Amravati Lok Sabha is a reserved seat, and to contest election from that seat, Rana got fake caste certificate,” the editorial read.

On April 23, Amravati Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana, along with her husband Ravi Rana, an MLA, had also announced their plan to chant ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ outside ‘Matoshree,’ the private residence of the state CM Uddhav Thackeray. Following this announcement, Shiv Sena workers protested outside the residence of Navneet and Ravi Rana to stop them from reaching the CM’s residence.

The Ranas have withdrawn their intention to chant ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ following the protests from Shiv Sena workers. Meanwhile, the Ranas were sent to judicial custody on Sunday for 14-days by the Holiday and Sunday court of Metropolitan Magistrate, Bandra. The court will hear the MP-MLA couple’s application on April 29, and the Mumbai Police has also asked them to file their say on the bail plea on April 27.