Hanuman Chalisa row: Who is Navneet Rana and why Uddhav Thackeray is upset with her
The Rana couple were firmed to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree,’ the Thackeray residence at 9:00 AM on Saturday.
New Delhi: After Maharashtra MLA Ravi Rana and MP Navneet Kaur Rana threatened to chant ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ outside the Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s residence, massive protests were being witnessed by Shiv Sena workers outside the residence of the lawmakers from the Vidarbha region.
The Shiv Sena workers raised slogans, broke the barricades, and tried entering the couple’s apartment in Suburban Khar. Mumbai Police managed to bring the situation under control.
The ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ controversy has been making headlines from the day Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray threatened to play the Hanuman Chalisa through loudspeakers to counter the playing of azan in mosques.
The Rana couple were firmed to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree,’ the Thackeray residence at 9:00 AM on Saturday. On Friday, Mumbai police issued warnings that the couple do not have permission to play Hanuman Chalisa outside the Shiv Sena’s residence.
Besides, the police also stated that if they try to come out of their house, they will not be allowed to go out. However, police will be bound to take action if they forcefully make their way to Matoshree.
Meanwhile, concerning the increase in threat perception, the central government has provided Y category security to Navneet Rana. But, the MP was adamant to go ahead with her plan.
A video message was released on Saturday where Navneet accused Uddhav Thackeray of instigating Shiv Sena workers to hold a protest against the Rana couple.
Reportedly, Mumbai Police arrested the Rana couple on Saturday. Police released a statement that read, “A case is registered at Khar Police against MLA Shri Ravi Rana and MP Smt Navneet Kaur Rana U/S 153(A), 34, IPC r/w 37(1) 135 Bombay police act. Both are taken into custody from their house at Khar. Further investigation is being done by Khar Police Station.”
Who is Navneet Rana?
Goes by the full name Navneet Kaur Rana, she was born in a Punjabi family in Mumbai. Navneet’s father was in the army. Navneet left her studies after class 12 and opted for modelling and made a career in it.
Besides, she also acted in movies based in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Hindi.
Reportedly, a chance meeting with Baba Ramdev changed her life story. Ravi Rana, the husband of Navneet was already in the good books of Ramdev after organising one of his numerous ‘Yog Shivirs’ in Amravati. The two were said to have met at one such Yog Shivir, and got the final nudge to tie the knot by Ramdev himself. The two got married in 2011 at a mass wedding organised by Ramdev along with over 3,000 couples.
Navneet joined politics after getting married to Ravi Rana. In 2014, she contested the Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket, however, she lost the election. On the other hand, in 2019 with the support of NCP and Congress, she was elected as an independent MP from Amravati. She defeated a Shiv Sena candidate for this seat.