MVA protest morcha: We will not tolerate insult of Maharashtra, says Uddhav Thackeray

NCP leader Sharad Pawar, former CM Uddhav Thackeray and Congress’ Bhai Jagtap and Nana Patole joined the rally. Pic/PTI

The three-km-long Halla Bol morcha by the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) saw a massive participation on Saturday morning, with party leaders comparing the rally with the Samyukta Maharashtra movement.

The morcha was planned to demand the removal of Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his remarks against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and social reformers Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule, and to protest the failure of the Shinde-Fadnavis government to resolve the state border dispute. The morcha began at 11.45 am from Nagpada, with the protesters breaking up into batches.

When the first batch reached CSMT at around 12.30, the other end of the morcha was still at the JJ junction. "I have seen many governors in my 47 years in the state assembly. They have brought pride and fame to Maharashtra. But this governor has done the opposite. If the government is not ready to remove him even after this massive protest, we will show them our power," said Sharad Pawar, who joined the rally at CSMT.

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Former CM Uddhav Thackeray was accompanied by his wife Rashmi and son Aaditya at the rally. Thackeray said that this was one-of-a-kind rally after the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement. "We will not tolerate the insult of Maharashtra. The language of the governor and ministers is insulting. We will bring ‘Maharashtra drohi' to their knees." He also took a dig at the Shinde faction leaders, calling them "khoke". "They cannot be the inheritors of Balasaheb Thackeray."

Congress leader Nana Patole said the governor and minister Chandrakant Patil insulted national leaders on several occasions. "The message of overthrowing the Central government should be sent out on this occasion," he said.

While addressing the gathering, Ajit Pawar said, "I worked with many CMs but there weren't such incidents where villages from Maharashtra demanded going to neighbouring states."

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi said there should be a law against those who uttered a word against any religion, religious texts, gods or icons of the country. Several leaders, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Supriya Sule, Jitendra Awhad, Prithviraj Chavan, Sanjay Raut, Bhai Jagtap, Jayant Patil, Balasaheb Thorat and Varsha Gaikwad, were present on the dais.

The morcha saw participation from across age groups. Bhaskar Ghune, a 73-year-old farmer from Nashik, started his journey from the village early in the morning. "I've joined to demand action against those who have insulted our historic leaders," he said. Another Igatpuri farmer, Nivruti Patil, 63, was seen at morcha. "I am farmer and I can walk more than this," he said.

Ujwala Padalwar, youth member of CPM, also participated in a morcha with other comrades of her party. "No action has been taken against those who make controversial statements. We are marching to protest the inaction against them."