тАШAppropriateтАжaimed at particular groupтАЩ: Sanjay Raut refuses to withdraw тАШchor mandalтАЩ remark
Despite a breach of privilege notice issued by the Maharashtra Assembly speaker, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said on Wednesday that he will not withdraw his тАЬchor mandal (group of thieves)тАЭ remark, saying he has not done anything or said anything with an intention to insult the state legislature.
тАЬI have made an appropriate remarkтАжIt was aimed at a particular group and not the entire state legislature as is being made out to beтАжEveryone knows which group I am referring to,тАЭ Raut told The Indian Express.
Raut said he was not in Mumbai when he received the breach of privilege notice. тАЬI have not yet replied to the notice issued by the state Assembly speaker. I have just returned to Mumbai. I will go through the notice and discuss the issue with my colleagues from the state legislature and will then reply to the notice,тАЭ he said.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut said he wanted to reiterate that he has not said anything with the intention to insult the state legislature. тАЬWhatever I said was directed at a particular group. I used the word тАШchorтАЩ against that group which I think is an appropriate one. Entire Maharashtra is saying itтАжIt is being said from different platforms. It is impossible for me to make a statement against state Assembly or state Legislative Council,тАЭ he said.
RautтАЩs remark had created an uproar in the state legislature last week with the BJP and the Shiv Sena MLAs from the Eknath Shinde group demanding action against him. The MP, however, insisted that his remark was directed only at тАЬtraitor MLAsтАЭ, and not the entire legislature.
Raut said the Shiv Sena (UBT) is not afraid of anyone and will continue to fight against injustice. тАЬThey have taken away our name and symbol. But the Shiv Sainiks are continuing their fight and will continue to do so,тАЭ he said.
тАЬYesterday, CBI summoned Lalu Yadav, and before that, [former] Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested. Have they even served notice to Gautam Adani? They [central government] are targeting only Opposition leadersтАжThat is why we will continue to fight against injustice and untruthтАж,тАЭ he added.
Raut said that in this country if anyone points out the wrong, he is branded as an anti-national. тАЬHe is then targeted through investigative agenciesтАжAfter nine Opposition party leaders wrote to the Prime Minister about the misuse of investigative agencies, Lalu Yadav was targetedтАжBut we are not going to bend,тАЭ he said.
