We know how to counter 'dadagiri': Uddhav Thackeray's warning to Ranas on Hanuman Chalisa row

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday broke his silence on the controversy over the 'recitation of Hanuman Chalisa outside his house and issued a stern warning stating that Shiv Sainiks know how to counter "dadagiri".

Speaking at an event, the chief minister warned MP Navneet Kaur Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana that if they resort to "dadagiri", his government knows how to counter it.

"If you want to recite Hanuman Chalisa, call and come home. But if you resort to 'Dadagiri' we know how to crumble it," said Thackeray.

On allegations that Shiv Sena has ignored Hindutva, Thackery said that his party's Hindutva is 'Gada Dhari' like Lord Hanuman.

"Form the past few days it is being said that we have ignored Hindutva. Is Hindutva a dhoti or what? Where was (BJP) during Babari, Balasaheb Thackeray has also said we don't want Ghantadhaari Hindutva we want Hindutav who can fight with terrorist. Our Hindutva is 'Gada Dhari' like Lord Hanuman's Gada," he said.

Dismissing the controversy around the issue of loudspeakers at religious places, the Chief Minister said, "Many people have acidity in their stomachs due to the developments taking place in Mumbai. They only want to speak on loudspeakers...I don't care about them at all."

On Saturday, a row started when MP Navneet Rana and her husband stated that the couple plans to chant Hanuman Chalisa outside 'Matoshree' (Maharashtra CM's Mumbai Residence), after which a huge crowd gathered outside the residence of the political couple waving flags with an aim to prevent them from reaching the Chief Minister's residence.

The Ranas withdrew their plan to chant Hanuman Chalisa amid the protests from Shiv Sainiks that culminated in their arrest on the charge of creating enmity between different groups.

On Sunday they were sent to judicial custody for 14-days by a Metropolitan Magistrate court in Bandra.

Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed a petition moved by Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana for quashing the FIR registered against them for allegedly assaulting the police officer who came to arrest the couple.

The police took the action against the couple after they threatened to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's private residence in Mumbai.

Notably, issuing clarification over the row, Navneet Rana wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stating that she wanted to ignite the flame of 'Hindutva' in Shiv Sena, not to create any religious tensions by chanting the "Hanuman Chalisa" outside the residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

( With inputs from ANI )