Not a normal man, haven’t committed any crime: Rane on remarks about Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai, Aug 24: Union minister Narayan Rane on Tuesday defended his remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying he hasn’t committed any crime by making them.

On speculation that he will be arrested in this case, Rane said he was not a 'normal’ man and cautioned the media against such reportage.

“I haven’t committed any crime. You should verify and show it on TV or else I will file a case against you (media). Despite not committing any crime, the media is showing speculative news about my 'imminent' arrest. “Do you think I am a normal (ordinary) man?” Rane told reporters at Chiplun in the coastal Konkan region.

Asked about cases filed by Shiv Sena workers against him over his remarks, Rane shot back, “Shiv Sena who?”

Rane has sparked off a row over his remarks about slapping Thackeray for what he claimed as the latter’s ignorance of the year of India’s independence.

"It is shameful that the chief minister does not know the year of independence. He leaned back to enquire about the count of years of independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given (him) a tight slap,” Rane told reporters during his Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Raigad district on Monday.

The BJP leader and former Shiv Sena chief minister claimed Thackeray forgot the year of independence during his August 15 address to the people of the state. Thackeray had to check the year of independence with his aides midway during the speech that day, Rane said.