Today’s Big Story
Sparked by Narayan Rane's "slap the CM" comment, the clashes in Maharashtra between Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena and Narayan Rane's BJP, continue to escalate as Narayan Rane says he still stands by his statement and BJP members have filed counter cases against Uddhav Thackeray for his “chappal” remarks against Yogi Adityanath three years ago.
📯 What’s Going On?
On Tuesday, Union Minister Narayan Rane was arrested mid-way through his meal in Sangameshwar Maharashtra for his comment stating he would have slapped the CM Uddhav Thackeray for pausing to confirm with his aides the number of years since India's Independence.
Rane's arrest triggered a fresh skirmish between the Shiv Sena and BJP. The parties took their battle to the streets in Juhu where the Sena's youth wing showed up at Rane's house and then there was retaliatory violence by the BJP. Both parties are now showing evidence of the other side engaging in violence, fueling a never-ending blame game.
🔍 What Does this Mean?
Many of the left argue that both parties are responsible for the violence and that protests in any democracy should be conducted through a constitutional process instead of taking to the streets.
Many on the right are critical of Rane's arrest and highlight the hypocrisy of the episode by accusing Uddhav Thackeray of making similar comments against Yogi Adityanath in the past.
"Stones were pelted from both sides, following which police used cane-charge to disperse the agitators, an official told news agency PTI. Activists from both parties shouted slogans against each other. Following the clash, the road was blocked." - The Wire
"If the Shiv Sena has got it terribly wrong, however, the BJP seems ill-suited to mount the moral high ground. Its high-pitched denunciation of Sena heavy-handedness even as it distances itself from Rane’s controversial remark — Devendra Fadnavis compared Sena action to the Taliban, while party chief JP Nadda alleged violation of constitutional values — are at odds with its own governments’ proven preference for blunt instruments against speech it doesn’t agree with. At the Centre and in the states where it is in power, the BJP has shown a troubling intolerance of speech that doesn’t match its definition of what should be spoken or heard. So dissent becomes “anti-national,” criticism becomes derogatory, the IPC the state’s most potent tool to squeeze legitimate spaces." - Indian Express
"The former Shiv Sena chief minister claimed that Thackeray forgot the year of independence during his August 15 address and had to check with his aide mid-speech, drawing huge flak and triggering widespread protests across Maharashtra by Shiv Sena. Amid the controversy, an old video of Thackeray went viral on social media where he can be heard saying that Adityanath should be beaten up with sandals. He had slammed Adityanath for not removing his footwear while garlanding a photo of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj during his visit to Palghar." - Times Now
"The violence took place in the different parts of Maharashtra against the BJP. Soon after the arrest, people dug out an old video of Uddhav Thackeray. In the 2018 video, Thackeray was outraged in a similar fashion as Rane did...when Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had apparently garlanded Shivaji wearing chappals. Thackeray was not the chief minister at that time. The video went viral on social media and started trending. BJP leaders and supporters demanded the arrest of Uddhav Thackeray on a three-year-old comment." - The Times of India
💭 Why Should I Care?
Pot Calling the Kettle Black
For Democracy: Can there ever be any justification for violence whatever the politics may be? Democracy is meant to give us all space for peaceful dissent so street violence should always, categorically be condemned and rule of law must prevail.
For Politics: Vaibhav Purandare, writing an opinion piece for the TOI argues that Narayan Rane may be aiming for a BJP headstart in the upcoming BMC polls. And since street politics can swing either way, he wonders if Shiv Sena has played directly into the BJP's hands by engaging in violence. The jury is still out on which side eventually comes out on top but for now, it’s clear that any possibility of a political alliance between the Shiv Sena and BJP in Maharashtra is insubstantial.
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💡 Below the Fold
Telangana’s Ramappa temple recently made it to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites - largely owing to its intricate sandstone and basalt sculptures that have stood the test of time. Its sculptures celebrate dance and the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This 2 minute BBC video offers a look inside:
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