Rana couple backtrack on Hanuman Chalisa plan, cite PM's arrival as reason

MLA Ravi Rana and wife MP Navneet Rana have cited 'security risks ahead of Prime Minister's visit to Mumbai' as the reason for backing off from their ambitious plan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards Ceremony in Mumbai at around 5 pm on Sunday.

Mumbai:Letting some steam off the Hanuman Chalisa row in Mumbai, the Rana couple have taken back their valiant vow of reciting Hanuman Chalisa in front of CM Uddhav Thackeray's residence on Saturday. MLA Ravi Rana and wife MP Navneet Rana, who had landed in Mumbai on Friday, have cited 'security risks ahead of Prime Minister's visit to Mumbai' as the reason for backing off from their ambitious plan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Awards Ceremony in Mumbai at around 5 pm on Sunday.

The announcement came from MP Navneet Rana after the city experienced a considerable political stir with the Shiv Sena workers protesting the decision and challenging the couple to 'dare show up at Thackeray's residence. Escalating chaos in front of Ranas' Mumbai residence in Khar, Shiv Sena workers broke through the barricades and tried to enter their house premises earlier today, while the couple was fairly adamant about reciting Hanuman Chalisa outside Thackeray's residence 'Matoshree' at 9 am. However, the police personnel deployed at Khar brought the situation under control and dissuaded the party workers from indulging in anything that would create a law and order problem, as informed by the officials.

Meanwhile, another group of Shiv Sena workers, pelted stones at Rana's hometown residence in Amravati this afternoon. His house in Shankar Nagar here had also been given police security in the purview of rising tensions, though the workers reached there to exhibit protests nevertheless. After the stone-pelting amid loud sloganeering against Rana, the officials in Amravati have beefed up the security arrangements and barricaded Rana's residence.

The party workers had also been camping outside 'Matoshree' since Friday morning. Taking an aggressive stance, the party leaders and workers said they will not let the couple go back without 'prasad' "if they dared to turn up". "Around 8.45 am, angry Shiv Sena supporters broke through the barricades placed at a distance of around 50 meters from the apartment where the Ranas own a flat in suburban Khar. They tried to enter the apartment premises. Shiv Sena supporters raised slogans in support of Thackeray and dared the couple to step out of the residence," the police said.

Read:Rana couple hell-bent on reciting Hanuman Chalisa outside Maha CM's house on Saturday

Earlier on Friday, a team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Manjunath Singe had served the couple a notice under section 149 of the CrPC. "The section gives police powers to prevent any cognizable offense. The couple accepted the notice," the DCP had said. Meanwhile, Navneet Rana was provided with Y category security by the Central government. Despite a legal notice, the Ranas on Friday had said they are adamant about the recitation, though they will 'cooperate with the police authorities and maintain law and order.'

Amid the ongoing loudspeaker row country-wide, Ravi Rana had demanded that CM Thackeray recite Hanuman Chalisa at his personal residence on Hanuman Jayanti, or bear the couple itself reciting it in front of his residence in Mumbai soon. His demand had followed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's `ultimatum' to the state government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3.

With tensions mounting in Mumbai after the statements by these political leaders, the city police had to step up security outside 'Matoshree', with barricades placed on the road leading to the Thackeray residence. "In order to maintain law and order situation, the police have increased security and deployed large number of personnel outside 'Matoshree'," the police said. Besides 'Matoshree', the police had also increased security at 'Varsha', the official residence of CM Thackeray in south Mumbai.