Maharashtra: Opposition, govt in war of words ahead of MVA morcha

Union home minister Amit Shah, seen with Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis, speaks to the media after a meeting over the state border dispute, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

The opposition and ruling parties have locked horns ahead of the anti-government morcha to be taken out in the city on Saturday. While former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and opposition leader in the assembly, Ajit Pawar, launched an attack on the government, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde responded in equal terms on Thursday.

The city police hadn't granted permission till the time of going to print, but Shinde said the government won't obstruct a democratic protest. Sources said the opposition was negotiating terms with the police who have not allowed a permanent stage to be built for the speakers, but suggested having a trailer parked as a dais for the main event.

The opposition met on Thursday to prepare for the morcha that will come two days before the winter session of the state legislature to be held in Nagpur. Thackeray and Pawar criticised the government for taking a lame stand on the border dispute with Karnataka and slammed it for scrapping a literature award. The opposition took up inflation, unemployment, alleged derogatory remarks made by the ruling party leaders against the revered figures of the state and overall governance since July this year. The Maha Vikas Aghadi has invited like-minded people to participate in the morcha.

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Border dispute

Thackeray said the CM and the deputy CM have compromised the state's position by agreeing to the conditions laid down at their meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah and the Karnataka CM in Delhi on Wednesday. "It's like rubbing salt on the wound. The main issue of the wish of Marathi-speaking locals in Belgaum, Karwar and Nipani to merge with Maharashtra hasn't been addressed yet. Should they be there in Karnataka against their wishes till the court decision comes? The answer to this issue should come first," he said.

Uddhav Thackeray, ex-CM

Thackeray and Pawar refused to buy the information that a fake Twitter account in the name of the Karnataka CM had posted inciting statements. "How can they say it now? Didn't they realise then that the account was fake? Why wasn't it clarified then?" asked Pawar, demanding that senior counsel Harish Salve be hired to represent the state in the Supreme Court.

Thackeray said the state literature award that has been withdrawn shouldn't have been given in the first place without reading the autobiography of left-wing leader Kobad Ghandy. "The selection committee's decision should be honoured once it is announced. They should have read it first…"

Shinde strikes back

Shinde said the Union home minister of any regime has intervened for the first time in the border dispute. "We have taken a strong position to maintain peace and avoid trouble for the Marathi-speaking people of the border area. Amit Shah ji has given definite instructions to Karnataka," he said. Shinde asked the opposition not to politicise the issue and instead consider it as a social matter. "However, the opposition can speak whatever it wants."

He clarified that his Karnataka counterpart Basavaraj Bommai had personally admitted in the meeting that he had not tweeted any inciting statements from his handle and assured strict action against the hacker or the fake account holder. The CM also assured that the government will not create any hurdles before the MVA's democratic protest.