Maharashtra govt protecting minister Nitesh Rane despite inflammatory language: Jaleel

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Former AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel has accused the Maharashtra government of deliberately allowing state minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane, who used provocative language against Muslims, to make communally-charged statements.

Speaking in the 'Majha Maharashtra Majha Vision' programme of a Marathi news channel, Jaleel said Rane should have been arrested immediately after he publicly threatened to beat Muslims by entering mosques.

"A case was immediately registered after (AIMIM leader from Hyderabad) Akbaruddin Owaisi's statement (in the past). However, when Nitesh Rane used public platform to say he would beat Muslims by entering mosques, no action was taken.

"A case should have been registered against him immediately and he should have been arrested from the spot," the Maharashtra unit AIMIM president said on Friday.

Jaleel said the Mahayuti government seems to have assigned a task of delivering incendiary speeches to some people with impunity.

He alleged some perpetrators of the Nagpur violence enjoy the government's support.

Commenting on the landslide Mahayuti victory in the last assembly polls, Jaleel said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis never thought that the allies would win a handsome number of seats.

He claimed the Maratha reservation issue is put on the back-burner.