Won't allow 'vote jihad' in Maharashtra polls: BJP MLA Nitesh Rane

Kankavli (Maharashtra): Maharashtra BJP MLA Nitesh Rane has said he will ensure "vote jihad" does not happen in the upcoming state assembly polls and maintained he was not afraid of the multiple FIRs pertaining to hate speeches registered against him.

In an interview to PTI, Rane asserted he has "not done anything wrong" by taking the side of his "dharma" or community.

"I am going to be mentioned as a Hindu on my birth and death certificate. If I am being blamed for a hate crime just because I am trying to take the side of my own dharma or my community, religion, I don't think there is anything wrong in it. I have absolutely not done anything wrong," he said.

The BJP leader claimed "vote jihad" happened during the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year.

"We will ensure this vote jihad does not happen during the state elections," asserted Rane, who is the BJP's nominee from Kankavli seat in Sindhudurg district for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls.

"Vote jihad" is a term used by BJP leaders to claim the Muslim community en mass voted against the party in the Lok Sabha polls.

On one side, "certain jihadi minded" people of the Muslim community, the "Rohingyas and Bangladeshis" want to claim that they follow the Constitution, but on the other side they will do everything that comes under the Sharia law, Rane alleged.

"If you are promoting peace between Hindus and Muslims, if you think the law should be the same for Hindus and Muslims, then why are you doing love jihad, land jihad and vote jihad?" said the legislator, who is the son of BJP MP Narayan Rane.

"Why can't you fight as an Indian, why can't you vote as an Indian. Why do you have to tell your community that you have voted against the Modi government?" he asked.

On the other side, they also want to take advantage of all schemes of the central government, the BJP leader added.

The two-term MLA has more than half-a-dozen FIRs registered against him across the state over hate speeches, as per his election affidavit.

In a video which went viral on social media in September, Nitesh Rane was heard commenting that if anyone says anything against religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj, "we will enter your mosques and hit you one by one. Keep this in mind." Following that, he was booked for allegedly making provocative speeches and hurting religious sentiments.

Ramigiri Maharaj has been accused of making controversial remarks against Prophet Muhammad.

Referring to the cases against him, Nitesh Rane said, "My every comment has attracted an FIR. It is basically when I am taking the side of my own community, when injustice has been done to them, when they are not allowed to celebrate their festivals in our Hindu Rashtra."

"If that attracts FIR and if I am blamed for taking the side of my own religion, I will be very happy to face any kind of action," he said.