Mumbai, December 17
In a show of strength, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents in Maharashtra took out a ‘Halla Bol’ protest march in Mumbai on Saturday against the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in the state, and emphatically demanded removal of Governor B S Koshyari for passing “insulting” remarks against iconic personalities, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Senior leaders of the three MVA allies – Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress – shared the stage after the protest march, where NCP chief Sharad Pawar said if the governor was not removed, a “lesson” would be taught, while Uddhav Thackeray warned that there can be no compromise on the state’s self respect and pride.
NCP leader Ajit Pawar demanded a strict law to ensure that dignity of national icons is protected.
The protest march began from near JJ Hospital in Byculla around noon and ended at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), a distance of around 4 km, where the MVA leaders addressed a rally.
Speaking at an event last month, governor Koshyari had dubbed Shivaji Maharaj an “icon of olden times”. The remark sparked outrage from both the descendants of the Maratha king and the opposition parties. Earlier this year, he had also passed alleged derogatory remarks against social reformers Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule.
Speaking at the ‘Halla Bol’ protest rally, Sharad Pawar said, “The governor should be immediately removed for insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Mahatma Phule.” He also said that the ideologies of the three MVA partners may be different but there was a need to be together to protect Maharashtra’s self respect.
”If the governor is not removed, we will have to take steps to teach them a lesson,” he added.
The former Union minister said a competition was on, not for the state’s progress and development, but to malign it.
“Maharashtra cabinet minister Chandrakant Patil says BR Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule begged to start schools…Such an insult cannot be tolerated. We have to be united irrespective of our political ideologies to safeguard the state’s prestige. If the governor is not removed we have to take steps to decide our future action,” he said.
Former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray accused the Shinde government of being ideologically bankrupt.
