On Sunday (September 1), leaders of the opposition led coalition, Maha Vikas Aghadi held its 'Jode Mara' demonstration against the state government, following the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan. The opposition led demonstration, kickstarted from the iconic Hutatma Chowk to Gateway of India in South Mumbai, intended to express discontent with the government's handling of the statue collapse incident.
About the protest
The said protest was attended by NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, Congress state unit chief Nana Patole, and the party's Mumbai head, Varsha Gaikwad. The leaders kicked off the protest march by laying wreaths at Hutatma Chowk, a memorial to those martyred in the 'Samyukta Maharashtra' agitation.
"The protest march is to give voice to the anger of the people of Maharashtra over the statue collapsing just eight months after it was unveiled by the PM, said NCP (SP) leader Rajesh Tope and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sunil Prabhu."
Further, the two also added that the protest will be held peacefully.
Row over police permission
Meanwhile, it is pertinent to note that earlier a controversy has erupted after police denied permission to the MVA leaders for their staged protest and march. Shiv Sena leaders led by Uddhav Thackeray condemned the Mumbai Police for refusing to grant permission for their planned protest against the state government.
Speaking from Hutatma Chowk, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai expressed frustration over the police's decision. Desai claimed they had anticipated receiving permission, which was not granted. He criticized the Maharashtra government for not acknowledging the issue and accused them of unjustly accusing the opposition of politicizing the matter.
Desai remarked, "The Prime Minister expressed his grief over the incident, but the Maharashtra government failed to address the situation appropriately. Instead, they have targeted the opposition, claiming we are politicizing a deeply emotional issue. We have followed democratic processes, applying to both the administration and the police for permission. The heavy deployment of police suggests a disproportionate response to what is intended to be a peaceful protest."
He assured that the protest would be conducted in a disciplined and democratic manner, despite the lack of official permission. Desai called for the government to resign, suggesting that their actions were driven by a lack of valid defense against the opposition's claims.
Further, another UBT camp leader Arvind Sawant also attacked the Mumbai police and the ruling Mahayuti coalition. He said, "...Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is God-like for us. His statue collapsed and with that, our devotion, honour, and self-respect collapsed and fell there. Despite such disrespect, leaders of political parties supporting it - what else will do if not condemn them?...Uddhav Thackeray has said that is an insult to Maharashtra...We are being stopped in our own Maharashtra by our own Police that we can't go ahead with it (the protest march)...I have never seen such helpless Police...What if they did (apologise)? See the timing. Isn't the statement political? PM always makes political statements. Had he felt such sympathy, he would have gone to Manipur...Central Government's policy is to disrespect Maharashtra...This is not political, this agitation is for the honour of Mahrashtra which has been insulted..."
(With inputs from PTI)
