Shivaji statue crash: MVA protests continue to pressurise Maha govt

Pune (Maharashtra), Aug 29 : The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday continued protests for the fourth-consecutive day after the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj erected eight months ago at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan town of Sindhudurg in Maharashtra.

Leading an agitation in Pune, SS(UBT) Deputy Leader and Spokesperson, Sushma Andhare targeted BJP MP Narayan Rane for his “goonda tactics, and threats to the media, police and the Opposition leaders” when the MVA staged a protest in Malvan on Wednesday.

“Narayan Rane’s language displayed his character… He was intimidating mediapersons, the police and the Opposition leaders carrying out a peaceful protest at the Rajkot Fort. His sole intention is to spoil the communal atmosphere in the state and create disturbances,” slammed Andhare.

She questioned the BJP’s Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis “whether you have let loose Rane and his cheap hoodlums” to indulge in a ruckus, break up any forms of public protests, whether in Sindhudurg or Thane (Badlapur) and create caste-communal divides in Maharashtra.

“If anything untoward happens, then only Fadnavis shall be responsible as the state home minister. We demand that Rane should be booked and arrested for disturbing peace and fomenting violence there,” roared Andhare.

She pointed out that despite all efforts by the Sindhudurg Police, Rane and his supporters proved to be uncontrollable as they staged a siege and prevented the MVA leaders like Leaders of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar (Assembly) and Ambadas Danve (Council), NCP(SP) state President Jayant Patil, SS(UBT)’s Aditya Thackeray and others from entering the Rajkot Fort.

Accompanied by many women activists, Andhare and others raised slogans against the BJP and the ruling Mahayuti, beat banners sporting photos of Rane with footwear, seeking action against him.

In Mumbai, SS(UBT) MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that Rane’s supporters reportedly “spat on the police”, used abusive and menacing language, and attempted to disrupt the peaceful environment there.

The SS(UBT) organised another vociferous protest in Nashik on Thursday, where the party activists shouted slogans against the Mahayuti regime.

The MVA allies, singly or jointly, have planned a series of protests across the state, including a march in Mumbai from Martyrs Memorial to the Gateway of India on September 1, while the Congress will also hold a shoe-beating agitation against the Maharashtra government.