Mumbai, Sep 2 (IANS) Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on Wednesday criticised Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, over his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme, alleging that it was not a platform representing students but an attempt to promote ‘Sharia’ in the country.

Speaking to IANS, Rane said, “I feel that Rahul Gandhi Ji’s programme named ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ is not the ‘goonj’ of students; it is the ‘Goonj of Sharia’. Because sitting in that programme, if all they do is take a stance against Hindus, abuse Manusmriti, stand up for women wearing hijabs and then ask why they do not get freedom and all that… Hey, brother, if you go and say all this in an Urdu school or a madrasa, it would be appropriate.”

He further alleged that the programme was being influenced by political forces outside India.

“So, whatever he is trying to do is less for students and more for the bosses in Pakistan who are giving him scripts. Because whatever Rahul Gandhi says, the same thing is being said in the Pakistan Parliament. So, it is not ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’, but the ‘Goonj of Sharia’. They want to bring Sharia to the country. He wants to make this country an Islamic country, and to promote this, Rahul Gandhi, like Pakistani agents, does similar things,” Rane said.

“There is democracy in the country. We have the Constitution of Dr BR Ambedkar, and we follow that. Everyone has the right to do such things. But what is happening in such programmes is being watched by the entire Hindu community,” he added.

Rane also targeted the Shiv Sena(UBT) led by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, drawing a comparison with the Shiv Sena founded by Balasaheb Thackeray.

“The Shiv Sena we knew was the Shiv Sena of Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Ji. There is a world of difference between that Shiv Sena and the present Shiv Sena(UBT) led by Uddhav Ji. That was a Shiv Sena driven by Hindutva; it was a Shiv Sena that supported a Hindu Rashtra,” Rane said.

“Therefore, Balasaheb Thackeray Ji’s Shiv Sena, and his ideas and thoughts on Hindutva, have no comparison with today’s Shiv Sena(UBT) or Uddhav Ji’s party. There cannot even be a comparison,” he added.

Rane further said that the government was keeping a close watch on forces he described as being against the country and warned of a strong response.

“We are keeping a close eye on all the forces working against our nation. Whatever actions are taken against our nation and against our Hindu nation, we will respond to them in every way possible. Remember that we have the strength to crush anyone into the dirt,” he said.

“We are patriotic Hindus first, before being ministers, MPs or MLAs. If anyone looks at this country with an evil eye, we will never let them stay inside this country. Remember, we are fully prepared to send them back to their father in Pakistan,” Rane added.

Reacting to statements by MNS leader Amit Thackeray, Rane said that merely making statements does not lead to political success.

“Giving statements doesn’t accomplish anything. What actually happens as a result of giving statements is something his father has already experienced. That’s why his father has seen it. Neither the people of Maharashtra nor the country have elected them as MLAs or MPs so far,” he said.

“Anyone who has abandoned the core ideology of Hindutva championed by Balasaheb Thackeray Ji is sitting at home today. Therefore, as long as our government with a pro-Hindutva mindset is in power, no one should attempt this kind of politics,” Rane added.

He also claimed that the BJP-led government had received strong support from the Hindu community in Maharashtra.

“The people, our Hindu community, have placed their trust in us. I say directly today: I became an MLA because the Hindus in my constituency elected me; I didn’t go to any specific neighbourhood asking for votes. The Hindu community of Maharashtra has elected our government with a massive majority based on the issue of Hindutva,” he said.

“Therefore, because we have been seated in the ministry for this cause, no Hindu in this state needs to be afraid of anything — because barking dogs don’t bite. Everyone should remember that,” Rane told IANS.

Nitesh Rane further said they do not have any issue with CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and said, “I am telling you again and again, we have no issue with Abhijeet Dipke or Saurav Das. We have an issue with Umar Khalid. We have an issue with those who try to divide the country. We have an issue with those who mock and abuse our Gods, who insult Goddess Sita. We have no issue with Abhijit Dipke or his companions. Our issue is with the forces behind them, those in our country who, through this CJP agitation, used our youth as a front to make announcements about breaking Kashmir and dividing India, and raised slogans of Allah-u-Akbar.”

Nitesh Rane further reacted to senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s Vande Mataram row, saying, “When Sonia Gandhi says that the full Vande Mataram should not be recited, is that not divisive politics? Those who accuse us of playing Hindu-Muslim politics, Sonia Gandhi said on that day, ‘I will not recite the complete Vande Mataram; stop it after three stanzas’. What kind of politics is that? Is that not divisive politics? Is that not appeasement politics? If you believe in secularism, does the definition of secularism not include Hindus? Does it only include the Muslim community? Does it only include minorities? That is why I feel we do not practice divisive politics.”

The Maharashtra Minister further said, “Anyone who engages in any kind of anti-national activity against our country, anyone who stands against this country, anyone who stands against this Hindu nation, wherever you hear Allah-u-Akbar, you will also hear Jai Shri Ram in response, and you will also hear the statement, ‘We will reduce you to dust’.”

The BJP leader further praised Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and said, “Yogi Baba is also a patriot, a passionate Hindu, and so are all of us; we are all passionate Hindus. Just think about those who act against our country: if someone were to hoist a flag sitting in Pakistan or chant Jai Shri Ram there, would they let them live? Would they keep them alive? If someone stood in Pakistan and refused to sing Pakistan’s national anthem, the way people here oppose Vande Mataram, would they let their tongue stay intact? Tell me, what is happening in Bangladesh right now? How many times have you reported on it? How many Hindus are being killed in Bangladesh? Because it is an Islamic nation, right? It is an Islamic nation. If we live in our Hindu nation and take a stand for our land, how are we wrong? We are ready to go to any limit for our Hindu nation.”

–IANS

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