Rane claims Maha CM used unpalatable words for Amit Shah, Yogi

Mumbai: A day after he was arrested for making controversial remarks against Uddhav Thackeray, Union minister Narayan Rane said on Wednesday even the Maharashtra chief minister had in the past used unpalatable words while referring to top BJP

leaders Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath.

Speaking to reporters after securing bail from a court at Mahad in Raigad district on late Tuesday night and further relief from the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, a defiant Rane asserted he is not afraid of the ruling Shiv Sena in the state.

A former Shiv Sena chief minister, the 69-year-old politician from the Konkan region is now with the BJP.

I am not afraid of anyone and I am not backing out. My words (about "slapping" the CM) were an expression of anger against the chief minister (Thackeray) who forgot the year of India's Independence. I only told reporters what he had already said, so how can it be a crime? Rane said.

Rane made the controversial remarks on Monday after which Shiv Sena workers lodged police complaints against him in several districts. Acting on these complaints, police arrested Rane on Tuesday afternoon and produced him before the Mahad court where he was granted bail hours later.