Shiv Sena (UBT) Sanjay Raut presents his book ‘Paradise in Hell’ to NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar and extends a formal invitation to the book launch ceremony, in Mumbai on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut’s controversial and as yet unreleased book Narkatala Swarg (Heaven in Hell) has made several claims concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, which sparked an uproar on Friday (May 16, 2025). The ruling alliance and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised Mr. Raut and advised him to stick to the “facts.”

In the book, he claimed that the Shiv Sena Chief late Balasaheb Thackeray, and NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar helped Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah when they faced political and legal troubles, yet the “two were ungrateful.” “During the 2002 Gujarat riots, former Gujarat Chief Minister Mr. Modi, was about to be arrested. It was Mr. Pawar who opposed the arrest as he was an elected CM, thus shielding him,” said Mr. Raut, adding that Mr. Pawar might tell the truth. 

Mr. Raut made a similar allegation against Mr. Shah, saying he reached out to Balasaheb Thackeray when the CBI opposed bail during a trial in a murder case. Mr. Raut recalled Mr. Thackeray personally made a few calls for Shah’s bail. Mr. Raut held Mr. Shah responsible for the split in the undivided Shiv Sena and said, “This is how he repaid the Thackeray family.”

The book further claims that the current Modi-Shah leadership, despite benefiting from the goodwill of leaders like Mr. Thackeray and Mr. Pawar, later turned against them and the very institutions that once stood by them. Mr. Raut points out that while the mainstream media has now largely turned pro-Modi, Balasaheb Thackeray was among the few who supported Mr. Modi when most political forces and media houses were against him.

Explosive claims

His book makes several such explosive claims, including that the media is becoming pro-Modi. Mr. Raut wrote a book about his time in jail after his arrest for alleged involvement in a financial scam. The book revolves around the investigation and his release. He also said, “Any more revelations would have taken the State by storm.”

Mr. Raut’s claims were dismissed by BJP leaders. “His words make no sense,” BJP leader Chitra Wagh said. “No matter what he writes, it will not impact Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Maharashtra.”

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took a potshot at Mr. Raut and said, “I don’t read novels and children’s books anymore; they no longer interest me. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule advised Mr. Raut to change the book’s name from Narkatla Swarg to Narkatla Raut (Raut in Hell). 

Meanwhile, BJP leader and Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane advised him to state the facts and complete the book. “He forgot a few pages; he did not include all the slang he used for the Thackeray family during the case to go with his affection for Balasaheb. If he writes all the facts, Uddhav Thackeray will take him to hell,” said Mr. Rane.