Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane on Tuesday triggered a political controversy after making sharp remarks comparing actor Salman Khan with Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, following Khan’s participation in an event organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Reacting to Salman Khan’s presence at the RSS Vyakhyanmala, Rane said, “I acknowledge that Salman Khan is more of a Hindu than Uddhav Thackeray. Uddhav Thackeray, even in front of Rahul Gandhi, does not have the courage to call his own father Hindu Hriday Samrat. That is why I believe Salman Khan demonstrates stronger Hindu values.”
Salman Khan, Other Celebs Attend RSS Vyakhyanmala
Salman Khan attended the RSS Vyakhyanmala on Saturday, February 7. The two-day lecture series was themed '100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons' and marked the centenary celebrations of the RSS. Besides Khan, the event was attended by actor Ranbir Kapoor, filmmaker Subhash Ghai, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chairperson Prasoon Joshi and more than 900 eminent personalities, including scientists, industrialists and artists from across the country.
The event, held in Mumbai on February 7-8, also featured an interaction by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. The programme has since become the centre of a political slugfest, with leaders trading barbs over the participation of celebrities and public figures.
Raj Thackeray Attacks Mohan Bhagwat
MNS chief Raj Thackeray also weighed in, posting on social media platform X that several well-known personalities from different fields were invited to the event and some of them did attend. However, Raj Thackeray claimed they were present not out of affection for RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, but due to fear of the Narendra Modi-led central government. He urged Bhagwat to come out of what he termed a 'misunderstanding' that people attended the event out of personal admiration.
Responding to Raj Thackeray’s remarks, Nitesh Rane launched a counter-attack, questioning the silence of opposition leaders on other issues. He asked where Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray were when an AIMIM corporator from Mumbra made controversial remarks in Hindi after an electoral victory.
During the RSS event, Mohan Bhagwat addressed issues related to population imbalance, identifying religious conversions, infiltration and declining birth rates as the three major causes. He criticised conversions carried out through force, temptation or deceit and said 'ghar wapsi' was the only option for those wishing to return to their original faith.
On infiltration, Bhagwat said the government needs to work on a large scale to identify and deport illegal immigrants. He claimed RSS workers help identify suspected infiltrators through language cues and inform authorities.
Bhagwat also cited special intensive revision of electoral rolls, under which some non-citizens were identified and removed. The RSS chief further said experts suggest marriage between the ages of 19 and 25 and having three children could help maintain demographic balance and ensure a healthier family life.
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