Hanuman Chalisa row: Ranas call off protest citing PM Modi's visit

Maharashtra MLA Ravi Rana and her MP wife Navneet Kaur Rana, who had threatened to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree, the bungalow of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, have now called off their protest citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai on Sunday (April 24).

“Maharashtra Chief Minister ordered Shiv Sena workers to heckle us. They’re breaking the barricades. I’m reiterating that I’ll go outside and will chant Hanuman Chalisa at ‘Matroshree’,” Navneet had said earlier after Shiv Sena workers had gathered outside their apartment in Mumbai.

Shiva Sena MP Sanjay Raut had challenged the Rana couple and said if they come to Matoshree, then Shiv Sena won’t keep quiet.

“If someone comes to ‘Matoshree’ and recites ‘Hanuman Chalisa’, will Shiv Sena keep silent? If you reach our home, we have the right to reply in that language. You are spoiling Maharashtra’s law and order, if you have guts, then come forward and fight.” Raut said.

Earlier, security was beefed up outside the Bandra bungalow of CM and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray and the Khar flat of the Rana couple.

The Ranas – independent MLA from Badnera, Ravi, and independent MP from Amravati, Navneet – had said they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside the CM’s house to ward off ‘sade-sati’ from Maharashtra.

Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks undertook a night vigil outside Matoshree while a huge group was also outside the Khar flat of the Rana couple.

Top police officials said they were personally monitoring the situation. The Kherwadi police station had served a notice to the Ranas under Section 149 of Code of Criminal Procedure, meant to prevent cognisable offence.

Meanwhile, a mob attacked the vehicle of BJP activist Mohit Kamboj-Bharatiya near Thackeray’s home.