Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh): National president of the Vishwa Hindu Sena Arun Pathak has stoked a controversy by saying that he will give Rs 51 lakh reward to anyone who will decapitate Union Minister Narayan Rane. Pathak, who hails from Bhelupur area of Banaras, has also made several objectionable posts against Rane on Facebook and Twitter.
The Vishwa Hindu Sena president took to social media saying, "The pickpocket and ticket seller who was mercifully made Shiv Sainik by Balasaheb, and also made the Chief Minister has crossed all limits by targeting Balasaheb's son to get cheap popularity. Such a man should be beheaded and I will give a reward of Rs 51 lakh to whoever does this."
Also read: Shiv Sena MLA threatens to 'kill' Narayan Rane
"I promise you Narayan Rane that after your death I will not allow your ashes to be immersed in Kashi. Your soul will wander for centuries," Pathak had allegedly tweeted.
The VHS chief had earlier claimed that he used to travel to Mumbai often and had a great reverence for Balasaheb Thackeray's family. He even described himself as a 'disciple' of Thackeray and a staunch Hindu.
Pathak who is associated with Shiv Sena, prior to having founded the Vishwa Hindu Sena, is currently absconding as Varanasi Police are trying to nab him in a case pertaining to an alleged viral video wherein a man -- apparently a Nepali national -- was tonsured and forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram" and "Nepal PM Murdabad".
On 16 July 2020, in protest against the statement on Ayodhya and Shri Ram given by the Nepalese president, Arun Pathak and many others raised slogans of Jai Shri Ram to a Nepali youth living in Jal Sansthan Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges. Police named the VHS chief as the main accused and even registered a case.
