Rane accuses CJP founder Dipke of insulting Shivaji Maharaj through social media post

Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane on Thursday accused Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke of insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj through a social media post showing cockroaches beneath a statue of the warrior-king.

Addressing reporters, Rane said the post on X was linked to the CJP's ongoing agitation and alleged that depicting cockroaches beneath Shivaji Maharaj's statue amounted to showing the Mavalas, who fought alongside him for Swarajya, as cockroaches.

"Do they want to insult our Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the name of this 'Cockroach Janata Party' agitation?" Rane said.

Rane said his objection was not directed at Dipke or Saurav Das personally, but at what he alleged were attempts to support jailed activist Umar Khalid and other groups he described as "anti-national".

"In a democracy, everyone has the right to agitate, but if anyone tries to make Umar Khalid a hero in the process, we will not tolerate it," he said.

The CJP, a satirical political movement founded by Dipke, has in recent months organised protests and campaigns on issues including unemployment, examinations and political accountability.

Rane also criticised the proposed joint rally of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on October 4.

He alleged that the two leaders had aligned their language with what he called "anti-national forces" and criticised their earlier appearance on a platform with comedian Kunal Kamra, whom he accused of making objectionable remarks about Goddess Sita.

Rane also targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of "vote theft", questioning why the Congress had won elections in Karnataka and Kerala if electoral manipulation was taking place.

"If vote theft was genuinely taking place, the BJP would have crossed 400 seats. If vote theft was genuinely taking place, we would have won the Ayodhya seat," he said.

"If vote theft was genuinely taking place, Rahul Gandhi would not have been able to win in Uttar Pradesh, and his sister would not have been able to win in Kerala," Rane added.

On the Opposition's demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Rane alleged that the demand had emerged only after electoral setbacks.

"When their own seats increased, they did not want Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. But now, when they are losing in West Bengal and losing in their own respective states, they want his resignation," he said.