Nitesh Rane asks why Dia Mirza is silent on Bakrid after speaking on Diwali and environment

State minister Nitesh Rane raised questions in Nagpur about actor Dia Mirza. Rane said that just as Mirza shows concern for the environment at Diwali, she should also show sensitivity towards the environment and animals during Eid, Ramzan and Muharram.

Rane asked why the actor had never appealed on Bakrid that animals should not be slaughtered or made to suffer.

Rane was in Nagpur in connection with the BJP's Yuva Samvad programme. Speaking to reporters, he said he objected if advice on the environment was given only during Hindu festivals.

In the same interaction, Rane also named Rohit Pawar. He asked whether Pawar had been handed a contract to speak only on issues linked to Hindu festivals.

Rane alleged that Pawar never raised questions about alleged irregularities during the Haj pilgrimage. According to him, Pawar also makes no statement on the disorder in neighbourhoods during Ramzan. Rane said that staying silent on issues linked to other religions and raising questions only at Hindu festivals showed double standards.

Rane also said that only if equal concern was expressed for the festivals of other religions along with Hindu festivals could it be called Sarva Dharma Sambhava.

The minister then turned to the Opposition. He made sharp allegations against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the INDIA bloc and leaders of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). Rane alleged that the Opposition wanted to create an atmosphere of anarchy by weakening the country's constitutional order.

Rane said the Opposition was trying to push the country towards anarchic conditions like those in Nepal and Bangladesh. He said such attempts to tamper with the country's constitutional order would not be allowed to succeed.