MVA displays opposition might, warns govt over insult to ideals

Addressing a gathering outside CSMT station, NCP chief Sharad Pawar warned of overthrowing the government if they did not take lessons from the massive rally. “For the pride of Maharashtra, you all have come together and shown patience and discipline

Mumbai: The three parties of Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) came together on Saturday in their biggest show of strength to demand removal of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for “insulting” Chhatrapati Shivaji and to condemn the failure of the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government to give a fitting reply to Karnataka over the border dispute.

Mumbai, India - December 17, 2022: NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and other MVA leaders during the "Halla Bol" protest rally against the State government, outside CST Station, in Mumbai, India, on Saturday, December 17, 2022. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

A ‘Halla Bol Morcha’, which was taken out from Richardson and Cruddas Company near Byculla to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) station, saw participation of leaders not only from the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, but also from smaller parties like the Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Peasants and Workers Party, and Janata Dal (Secular).

Addressing a gathering outside CSMT station, NCP chief Sharad Pawar warned of overthrowing the government if they did not take lessons from the massive rally. “For the pride of Maharashtra, you all have come together and shown patience and discipline. This should be taken as a lesson for those involved in wrongdoing. Even after this if they don’t learn anything then we will sit together and discuss how to topple them.”

Pointing to the controversial remarks made by Koshyari and higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil, Pawar said they are looking at a competition among the ruling party leaders not for bringing in development but for defaming the state. “We are sending a message to the Centre through democratic means that remove him [Koshyari]. Because today people are showing restraint but they are going to burst out soon.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray alleged that the state and the centre were trying to destroy Maharashtra and they had come together to bury them. “On one hand they are insulting our ideals and on the other taking projects to other states... We cannot sit quietly until we finish the politics of these anti-Maharashtra people.”

Hitting out at Koshyari and state ministers Abdul Sattar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha over their derogatory statements, Thackeray said they are intellectually challenged people.

Deputy chief minister Fadnavis, however, called the protest a “Nano morcha”.

“It was a nano morcha. After bringing people from across the state, protesters should have spread over several kilometres and Azad Maidan should have been packed. But it was a failure which is clear from the visuals,” he said.

The morcha started around 12pm for which the stretch from Byculla to CSTM was closed for a few hours. Except Pawar, other prominent leaders, including Thackeray, walked the entire 2.2-km stretch in the sweltering heat along with a sea of people carrying flags and raising slogans.

State Congress president Nana Patole said they all should take a pledge to bring down the Central government. “With remarks made by Koshyari and BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi over Shivaji, the party has revealed its true face.”

Meanwhile, demands to introduce a law against those making derogatory remarks against gods or ideals were made in the rally.

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi said, “Anyone found guilty of insulting gods irrespective of the religions and communities should be booked under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act.”

It was seconded by leader of opposition Ajit Pawar. He said they would propose to bring in a bill on these lines in the upcoming winter session of the state legislature.

The protest is being seen as an attempt to bring pressure on the BJP-led Central government to recall Koshyari. The MVA also pressed for merging Marathi-speaking areas in Karnataka - Belgavi, Nippani and Karwar - in Maharashtra. The border row was escalated after Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said they were seriously considering on staking claims to 40 villages in Sangli district’s Jat tehsil.