Union Minister Ramdas Athawale supports Rana couple; says MP facing injustice because of being a Dalit

Navneet Rana (L) and Ravi Rana. Pic/Pallav Paliwal

Assuring complete support to the MP-MLA couple, the Union Minister for state Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday alleged that MP Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana were facing injustice by the Maharashtra government because she belonged to a Dalit community.

Alleging it a complete injustice to the MP-MLA couple, Athawale told ANI that Navneet Rana is an MP from Maharashtra's Amravati, who had announced to read Hanuman Chalisa (on April 23) in front of Matoshree, the private residence of the state Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The Rana couple was booked with a sedition case by the Maharashtra government and was sent to jail for 14 days on April 24.

"I have always supported Navneet Rana because a great injustice has been done to her by the Maharashtra government. She has also met the speaker about this and the speaker also expressed concern on this," he said.

Athawale further said, "Navneet Rana is going to the Supreme Court for fighting the case of sedition against her. The crime of sedition should not be imposed in the name of reading Hanuman Chalisa. The Maharashtra government, who have been accused of sedition has committed a very big crime and Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana should get justice."

Rana Couple arrived in Delhi on Monday and met the Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, at his residence and briefed him about the injustice that happened to them in the name of the Hanuman Chalisa issue by the Maharashtra government.

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