Mumbai: Police in Maharashtra charged BJP MLA Nitesh Rane with hate speech after the leader allegedly threatened the Muslim community in Ahmednagar district, Scroll.in reported.
It also reported citing The Indian Express that two first information reports were filed against him.
The MLA for Kankavli was addressing a meeting of the Sakal Hindu Samaj Andolan , an umbrella group of Hindutva outfits, in Shrirampur and Tofkhana area of Ahmednagar here on Sunday when he made inflammatory statements.
Nitesh Rane, the son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane, reportedly threatened the community not to comment on Hindu religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj.
The legislator was heard saying in the video: ‘If you are concerned about your community, do not say a word about Maharaj.’
Meanwhile, Ramgiri was also accused of making derogatory remarks on Islam and Prophet Muhammad while speaking at an event in Nashik district in August, according to the report.
After Ramgiri’s comment had gone viral , Muslim groups protested in Ahmednagar, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Jalgaon on August 16.
Meanwhile, Waris Pathan, the spokesperson of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, on Sunday urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, to arrest Nitesh Rane.
Waris Pathan, who is a former legislator, accused the BJP of trying to stir up communal violence in the state ahead of the Assembly election later this year.