Security beefed up outside Thackeray residence, as Maha MPs plan to recite 'Hanuman Chalisa'

Shiv Sena workers turned up outside the apartment and sang bhajans

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ ITDC NEWS Amid statements from two independent legislators in Maharashtra that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside the personal residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, police were deployed in large numbers. Amaravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband, Badnera MLA Ravi Rana, announced plans to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Thackeray residence 'Matoshri' in suburban Bandra, eliciting angry reactions from Shiv Sena workers.

Shiv Sena activists turned up outside the residence of the legislators and sang bhajans, with some of them telling reporters that they would not allow the Ranas to leave their house on Saturday morning. Mumbai Police, earlier in the day, had served a notice under CrPC section 149 to the Rana couple, asking them not to disturb the law and order situation. Under section 149, police can take steps to prevent a cognisable offense. Barricades were also placed on the road leading to 'Matoshri'. Ravi Rana told reporters that he had demanded that the chief minister read Hanuman Chalisa on Hanuman Jayanti "to rid Maharashtra of crises and attain peace for the state", but Thackeray refused.

Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut, who was present outside 'Matoshree', accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy to harass the Sena-led coalition government in the state and using the Ranas and MNS chief Raj Thackeray as pawns.

Sena's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said Hanuman Chalisa and Ram Navami were matters of faith and not occasions for stunt. "People like Rana are characters in the nautanki [drama] and stunt of the BJP. People don't take this stunt seriously," he said.