Controversial BJP leader and Maharashtra MLA Nitesh Rane has once again sparked controversy with a provocative speech targeting the Muslim community. On September 1, Rane addressed gatherings in Srirampur and Topkhana in support for Hindu seer Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj. Maharaj faces charges for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Islam and Prophet Muhammad at a religious event in Nashik on August 14.
Rane issued a stark warning against any harm done to Maharaj. “If you dare harm our Ramgiri Maharaj, we will enter your masjid (mosque) and will hunt you down (chun chun ke marenge),” he declared, drawing cheers from the crowd.
The Ahmednagar police have since filed two FIRs against Rane in connection with his speeches at the Sakal Hindu Samaj agitation.
Rane downplayed the police action and said, “Yesterday I was in Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) and Srirampur. There we came out in support of Mahant Ramgiri Maharaj ji. There was nothing new in the statement given by him. I can show you statements of a minimum of 10 Muslim scholars who have already mentioned the fact that Ramgiri Maharaj ji has said.”
“Whoever is supporting Ramgiri Maharaj, those even putting it on their social media status, they are getting death threats. In Pune last week, during a rally against Ramgiri Maharaj slogans of ‘sar tan se juda’ (beheading) were given. They can say this but if we come out in support of the Hindu community in the same language, why are we questioned? Let the Constitution and police do their job. Why are people in the Hindu community threatened?” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Sharing the video, AIMIM national spokesperson, Waris Pathan, in a post on X requested Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis to take action against Rane.
“In Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar, BJP MLA Nitish Rane is openly threatening the police administration that he will enter the mosque and kill Muslims one by one. He is spreading hatred against Muslims in his entire speech. This is inflammatory speech, hate speech. BJP is trying to create communal violence in Maharashtra before the elections. @CMOMaharashtra @DGPMaharashtra. Take cognizance of this entire speech and immediately file an FIR and take him into custody!” wrote Pathan.
This is not Rane’s first inflammatory speech. In April, four cases of hate speech were filed against him for allegedly threatening the minority community following communal violence in Mira Road, Mumbai. Despite this, police decided against charges for outraging religious sentiments, noting that Rane’s references to “Rohingyas and Bangladeshis” were not aimed at Indians.
Earlier, Rane faced backlash for a speech during the Hindu Jan Aakrosh rally in Solapur, where he used terms like “jihadis” and spoke about mosque demolitions. Last year, he called for entry restrictions at Navratri events, citing concerns about “love jihad” and alleged infiltration by non-Hindus.
“Hindu women are lied to and lured,” he said. He claimed that non-Hindus were wearing “saffron” and disguising as “Hindus”. “So, we have urged the organisers that if they check the Aadhaar cards of everyone coming in, at the entrance, and allow only Hindus, the Hindu women will not face any difficulty,” he added.
Nitesh Narayan Rane represents the Kankavli constituency. He is the son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane.
