NCP workers protest against BJP leader's 'Aurangzeb's reincarnation' tweet for Sharad Pawar

The NCP had Thursday threatened a "jail bharo andolan" against the tweet. Credit: Special Arrangement

In a politically charged atmosphere, hundreds of workers of the NCP on Friday staged protests and courted arrests in Mumbai against the statement of BJP leader Nilesh Rane, who had described Sharad Pawar as a reincarnation of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

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“Whenever elections approach, Sharad Pawar starts worrying about Muslims. Sometimes it makes one wonder if Sharad Pawar is the reincarnation of Aurangzeb,” Nilesh had tweeted.

Nilesh, a former Congress MP from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, is the elder son of Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane and brother of BJP MLA Nitesh Rane.

A person named Saurabh Pimpalkar - who claims to be "BJP activist” too had sent out an objectionable tweet.

While Pawar himself has not commented, his nephew and Leader of Opposition in Assembly and Baramati MLA Ajit Pawar and his daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule slammed the tendency to target important people.

The junior Pawar and Sule had urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis to look into the issue and do the needful.

NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said Nilesh must delete the tweet even as he asked BJP national president JP Nadda and state unit president Chandrashekhar Bawankule to clarify if they agree with Rane’s son.

NCP’s national spokesperson Clyde Crasto urged Twitter India to take action against Nilesh.

“FYI @TwitterIndia, You are aware there is prevailing tension in Kolhapur city, Maharashtra due to the name ‘Aurangzeb'. The handle @meNeeleshNRane is using the same name against Padma Vibhushan Mr. Sharad Pawar, MP -Rajya Sabha. This tweet has malicious intent, please take action. twitter.com/meNeeleshNRane.”

In another tweet, he said: “Hello @TwitterIndia.... I had alerted you about the tweet by @meNeeleshNRane with signs of malicious intent . He continues to tweet equating Mr. Sharad Pawar with Aurangzeb. Requesting you once again to take action because we want peace in Maharashtra.”

The 'Mumbai Jail Bharo Andolan' was organised by the NCP's Mumbai unit working president Narendra Rane.