Sena mocks Rane over muck throwing row

Mumbai: A war of words has erupted between the Shiv Sena and the Rane family on social media after the mud-throwing incident at Kankavli. The Yuva Sena took a dig at Congress MLA Nitesh Rane over the incident even as revenue minister Chandrakant Patil created a stir by claiming that Narayan Rane had urged him to save Nitesh in the matter.

Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray Sunday participated in the beach cleaning drive at Versova. The party posted these pictures on social media with the caption, “Chikhal Ithehi Aahe… Chikhal Tithehi Hota… Pan toh Gajaaad Ahe… Ha Manaaad… (mud can be seen here…mud could be seen there too… but one is in jail… while the other is in the minds of the people…)”

The caption was apparently in reference to Nitesh, who has been sent to police custody till July 9 for the mud-throwing incident. He was arrested Thursday after he threw mud on National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) deputy engineer Prakash Shedekar while protesting potholes and slush on the congested Mumbai-Goa highway.

Former MP Nilesh Rane, too, slammed the state government for taking action against his brother Nitesh over the mud-throwing incident. Nilesh said that while Nitesh was arrested for protesting the poor state of roads, no action had been taken against the Sena minister who claimed that crabs caused the breach of Tiware dam.

Meanwhile, a video of Mr Patil claiming that Rajya Sabha MP Narayan Rane urged him to “save” his son Nitesh in the mud-throwing incident has created a stir.

Mr Patil had visited Mr Shedekar’s residence in Pune after the incident, A video of his visit surfaced on social media on Monday. In the clip, Mr Patil is heard telling Mr Shedekar's family that he had asked the local superintendent of police and collector to slap an attempt to murder charge on the Congress MLA.