Saamna compares Nitesh Rane to mafia dons

MUMBAI - The Shiv Sena Sunday compared Nitesh Rane, the younger son of Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane, to dreaded mafia dons Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar and Rajan Nikhalje ailas Chhota Rajan and detailed his alleged rowdyism in the state.

In an article in party mouthpiece Saamna, the alleged rowdyism was indulged in by Nitesh in the recent past, culminating in Thursday’s alleged attack on Shamim Jammaluddin Shaikh alias Chintu Shaikh, an activist of NGO Swabhiman Sangathan floated by Rane junior.

In the article titled “Dawood, Chhota Rajan ani atta Chhota Rane” (Dawood, Chhota Rajan and now Chhota Rane), Saamna said Nitesh’s ‘gundagiri’ (hooliganism) has left the city terrorised by his alleged acts of rowdyism.

The article mentioned that Nitesh has a history of ‘gundagiri’ and the media has aptly described him as the ‘gunda’ of today. The article stated how Nitesh was involved in various kinds of attacks including the one on Congress legislator Bhai Jagtap who was slapped in the face by Nitesh.

Nitesh’s men had also forcefully entered the Congress office and smashed portraits of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, the article said.

Saamna’s article came in the wake of a delegation which called on Maharshtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan late Saturday demanding the arrest of Nitesh under the dreaded Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

The delegation also demanded Narayan Rane’s sacking from the state cabinet and urged that the attempt to murder charge against Nitesh should not be dropped.

The Shiv Sena delegation led by former opposition leader Ramdas Kadam included party MPs Sanjay Raut and Bharat Kumar Raut, spokesperson Neelam Gorhe and legislator Anil Parab amongst others.