The post MVA protests over the collapse of Shivaji’s statue, rejects Prime Minister’s apology appeared first on Navabharat News.
Mumbai/Malvan. The opposition parties’ alliance Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) took out a march in Mumbai on Sunday to protest against the collapse of Shivaji Maharaj’s statue and rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s apology over the incident. The conflict between the MVA and the ruling alliance Mahayuti has increased over this issue before the assembly elections in the state.
The ruling BJP too staged protests in various parts of the state, accusing the opposition of politicising the issue.
During the ‘Jode Maaro Aandolan’ (hitting with slippers), solidarity was seen among MVA constituents Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress, who fiercely targeted the ruling trio of Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP. Before leading the march from Hutatma Chowk to the ‘Gateway of India’, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray and state Congress chief Nana Patole paid floral tributes at a memorial to the martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement in south Mumbai.
He criticized the central and state governments over the statue collapse incident. During this, Thackeray rejected Modi’s apology, calling it an apology made with a “sense of arrogance”. Pawar alleged that the statue episode was an example of corruption.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde hit back at Thackeray, accusing him of doing politics in the name of Shivaji but emulating Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and Bijapur general Afzal Khan.
The statue of 17th century Maratha warrior Shivaji fell on August 26 at Rajkot Fort in Malvan tehsil. Prime Minister Modi had unveiled it eight months ago on the occasion of Navy Day. After the march concluded at the Gateway of India, Thackeray said in the meeting, “Did you see arrogance in (Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s) apology? It smelled of arrogance. A deputy chief minister was smiling.” He said that the people of Maharashtra will never forgive the insult of Shivaji Maharaj. Thackeray took a dig at Modi’s “guarantees” by referring to the incident of the statue falling, Ram temple and water leaking in the new Parliament complex.
The Chief Minister said, “What did the Prime Minister apologize for? For the statue that he inaugurated eight months ago? For the corruption that took place in it? MVA workers should work together to defeat the forces that have insulted Shivaji Maharaj. The fall of the statue is an insult to the soul of Maharashtra.” Prime Minister Modi had said at an event in Palghar on Friday that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is not just a name or a warrior but an idol.
He had said, “Today I bow my head at his (Shivaji’s) feet and apologise to him.” Addressing MVA leaders and workers at the protest march, Pawar said the statue’s fall was an example of corruption. “It is an insult to all Shivpremis (Shivaji’s followers),” he said. He alleged that the prime minister had apologised in view of the upcoming elections in Maharashtra.
Several leaders of opposition parties, including Shivaji’s descendant and Congress MP Shahu Chhatrapati, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule and MLA Anil Deshmukh, joined the protest march, which began after 11 am and ended in the afternoon. Thackeray, along with Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress leaders, hit posters of Chief Minister Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar with shoes. Shahu Chhatrapati said that Shivaji Maharaj must be protected at all costs. Protesters placed a statue of Shivaji at Hutatma Chowk, while protesters carried placards condemning the demolition of the statue.
They raised slogans against the Eknath Shinde government. Sharad Pawar walked for some distance and then got into his vehicle. Shiv Sena chief Shinde said that the people of Maharashtra had forced Thackeray out of power two years ago. Accusing the opposition of politicising the statue collapse incident, Shinde said, “The people of Maharashtra had shown them their place two years ago. You take the name of Shivaji, but your deeds are like those of Aurangzebi and Afzal Khani.” He claimed that the opposition has realised defeat (in the elections) and is scared of the spectacular success of the ‘Mukhyamantri Ladki Behen’ scheme for women.
BJP leaders and workers protested in different cities. Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Bawankule, who joined the protest in Nagpur, said that Prime Minister Modi has apologized to Shivaji Maharaj as well as his followers over the collapse of the statue. Bawankule alleged, “Despite the Prime Minister’s apology, the MVA is politicizing the issue for vote bank politics. They are trying to spread chaos before the elections.” Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis targeted Thackeray and asked whether he would apologize for the comments made about Shivaji Maharaj in the book ‘Discovery of India’ by the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Fadnavis said, “Why are Uddhav and Sharad Pawar silent on the damage done to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji by the (previous) Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh. Why did they not say a single word on the removal of Chhatrapati’s statue in Karnataka. They should answer this first.” He accused the Congress of teaching wrong history through books and said that it is said in these books that Shivaji Maharaj had looted Surat.
Mahayuti government and opposition should not do politics in the name of Shivaji Maharaj: Jarange
Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday said that the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government and the opposition should not do politics in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Jarange also demanded strict punishment against those who insult the state and national symbols. Jarange visited the Rajkot fort in Malvan, where the 35-foot-high statue of the 17th century Maratha warrior collapsed on August 26. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the statue. The incident sparked outrage across the state, while the Prime Minister has apologized for the incident.
Jarange told reporters here, “Both the opposition and the government should not do politics on this. The government should conduct a detailed investigation into the matter. The contractors should not be spared.” He said that both the opposition and the Mahayuti government are doing politics in the name of Shivaji. Maratha reservation activist Jarange said, “There should be a law that those who insult the symbols should be behind bars and they should not be allowed to come out easily.” He said that a strong statue of Shivaji should be installed in Rajkot Fort.
He criticized the central and state governments for this incident. On the other hand, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that the Prime Minister’s apology reeked of arrogance. NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar called this incident an example of corruption.
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