Rahul Gandhi’s Chhatron Ki Goonj not students’ voice but ‘Goonj of Sharia’: Nitesh Rane

Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his lsquoChhatron Ki Goonjrsquo programme alleging that the initiative did not represent the concerns of students and accusing Gandhi of promoting ideas that according to him were aimed at bringing Sharia to IndiaRane made the remarks while speaking to IANS and levelled a series of allegations against Gandhi his political opponents and several individuals associated with recent political and student movements The Congress had not immediately responded to Ranes latest remarksRane attacks Rahul Gandhi over student programmeRane alleged that issues raised during the programme reflected an agenda beyond student concernsldquoI feel that Rahul Gandhi Jirsquos programme named lsquoChhatron Ki Goonjrsquo 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 appropriaterdquo he saidHe further alleged that Gandhis statements were influenced by forces outside IndialdquoSo 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 lsquoChhatron Ki Goonjrsquo but the lsquoGoonj of Shariarsquo 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 thingsrdquo Rane saidRane says Constitution and democracy will prevailldquoThere 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 communityrdquo he addedRane said the government was monitoring forces he described as working against the country and warned that action would be taken against those involved in activities considered antinationalldquoWe 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 dirtrdquo he saidldquoWe 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 Pakistanrdquo Rane addedMaharashtra minister targets Shiv Sena UBTRane also criticised the Shiv Sena UBT led by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and contrasted it with the Shiv Sena founded by Bal ThackerayldquoThe 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 Rashtrardquo Rane saidldquoTherefore Balasaheb Thackeray Jirsquos Shiv Sena and his ideas and thoughts on Hindutva have no comparison with todayrsquos Shiv Sena UBT or Uddhav Jirsquos party There cannot even be a comparisonrdquo he addedHe also reacted to statements made by MNS leader Amit Thackeray saying political success could not be achieved merely by making public statementsldquoGiving statements doesnrsquot accomplish anything What actually happens as a result of giving statements is something his father has already experienced Thatrsquos why his father has seen it Neither the people of Maharashtra nor the country have elected them as MLAs or MPs so farrdquo Rane saidRane claims support from Hindu voters in MaharashtraThe BJP leader said the ruling alliance had received support from Hindu voters in Maharashtra on the issue of HindutvaldquoThe 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 didnrsquot 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 Hindutvardquo he saidldquoTherefore 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 donrsquot bite Everyone should remember thatrdquo Rane told IANSHe added that those who had abandoned the political ideology associated with Bal Thackeray had lost public supportldquoAnyone 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 proHindutva mindset is in power no one should attempt this kind of politicsrdquo he saidMinister clarifies his position on CJPrelated protestRane also addressed comments concerning CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and others associated with a protest movementHe said he did not have an issue with Dipke or Saurav Das but named Umar Khalid and other individuals whom he accused of attempting to divide the countryI 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 AllahuAkbar Rane saidRane also raises Sonia Gandhi and Vande Mataram issueRane further referred to a controversy involving senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and the recitation of Vande Mataram accusing the Congress of engaging in appeasement politicsldquoWhen Sonia Gandhi says that the full Vande Mataram should not be recited is that not divisive politics Those who accuse us of playing HinduMuslim 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 he saidHe reiterated his position that the government would act against activities it considered harmful to national interestsldquoAnyone who engages in any kind of antinational activity against our country anyone who stands against this country anyone who stands against this Hindu nation wherever you hear AllahuAkbar you will also hear Jai Shri Ram in response and you will also hear the statement We will reduce you to dustrdquo Rane saidRane praises Yogi Adityanath reiterates Hindutva stanceThe Maharashtra minister also praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and described him as a patriot and a committed HinduldquoYogi 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 Pakistans 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 nationrdquo Rane saidWith inputs from IANS