Mumbai: Port and Fisheries Minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane has once again stirred the political environment by recalling the controversial arrest of his father, Union Minister Narayan Rane, during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime. Speaking at a public event in Sindhudurg, Rane said the pain of that moment still lingers for the Rane family.
“When my father was arrested mid-meal, I saved that moment on my phone. I will delete that video only on the day I avenge that act. That moment is getting closer,” Nitesh Rane declared emotionally, adding a personal and political edge to the statement.
Narayan Rane was arrested in Ratnagiri shortly after becoming a Union Minister, following controversial remarks made against then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. His arrest, carried out while he was in the middle of a meal, drew widespread attention and backlash.
Nitesh Rane also took a swipe at fellow politician Deepak Kesarkar, recalling a time when he had to spend time in jail.
“Thanks to Deepak Kesarkar’s blessings, I got to see Dodamarg jail. But to his credit, he supported us during the Lok Sabha elections, so we’ve moved past it. We never really had enmity with him,” Rane said.
He went on to suggest that external forces tried to create rifts between them for political gains.
“He was trying to become MLA, but now he’s probably hiding out in Goa, afraid of when Nitesh might strike back,” he quipped, adding, “Everyone will be held accountable.”
In a sharp political jab at UBT Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Union Minister Narayan Rane sparked controversy by instructing local hotel owners to refrain from serving non-vegetarian food during the former Chief Minister’s visit.
Speaking to the media in Sindhudurg, Rane claimed he had asked hoteliers to stop serving chicken, fish, and traditional local dishes like “wade” when Thackeray arrives.
“He comes to Konkan only to enjoy fish and mutton. That’s all he’s done for the region. So I told hotel owners—don’t serve chicken, fish, or wade when he comes,” Rane said.
Continuing his criticism, Rane questioned Uddhav Thackeray’s contribution to the Konkan region during his tenure as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister.
“What did he give to Konkan in his two and a half years? Just check the financial figures. How much money did he allocate to Sindhudurg? He has no right to speak for Konkan, let alone visit it,” Rane remarked.
