Eknath Shinde (L) and Sanjay Raut (R).
Credit: PTI Photos
Mumbai: In a bid to embarrass Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has sent copies of his recently-released memoirs “Narkatla Swarg” ('Heaven in Hell') to the duo.
The memoirs in Marathi were released on May 17 by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar TMC Rajya Sabha MP and Saket Gokhale at a function presided over by veteran writer, poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar.
“People across India are reading it…it has been reprinted three times in 10 days,” said Raut, adding that the work is on for the English edition which would be released by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
In the book sent to Shinde, Raut has referred to him as a “one-time friend” and “the then colleague in Shiv Sena”.
Shinde has not commented on the memoirs, so far.
However, Fadnavis, had earlier, in his brief reaction, said: “I am at an age where I do not read children’s literature.”
The memoirs have critical references on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister and BJP stalwart Amit Shah.
The book also mentions how late Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and Pawar had helped the duo of Modi-Shah during their Gujarat days.
Raut, a Rajya Sabha member, was arrested by ED on August 1, 2022 in the 1,034-crore Patra Chawl land development case and came out of jail exactly after 100 days with the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court terming his arrest “illegal”, “witch hunt” and “pick and choose strategy”.
Raut has also sent a copy of the memoirs to MNS founder Raj Thackeray.