top of page

By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

MVA protests for third day:

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies continued their agitation for the third day in different parts of Maharashtra with an aggressive state Congress hitting the streets today to protest the detention of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra and other Congress leaders yesterday, here on Wednesday. State and city Youth Congress again carried out vociferous protests near Mantralaya raising slogans, carrying banners and placards slamming the...

MVA protests for third day:

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies continued their agitation for the third day in different parts of Maharashtra with an aggressive state Congress hitting the streets today to protest the detention of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra and other Congress leaders yesterday, here on Wednesday. State and city Youth Congress again carried out vociferous protests near Mantralaya raising slogans, carrying banners and placards slamming the state and central Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and when some attempted to enter inside, they were prevented by a strong posse of Mumbai Police deployed there since Monday. As tensions appeared to escalate, the police clamped down by detaining top state and city Youth Congress leaders including President Harshwardhan Sapkal, Vijay Wadettiwar, Bhai Jagtap, Hussain Dalwai, and many others. Thousands of students carried out a fresh demonstration at Dadar west Shivaji Park to vent their ire at the police action on Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)’s agitation in New Delhi on Monday. Several MVA leaders and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray visited or expressed solidarity with the protesting youth, comprising many women. Opposition’s Voice The Congress leaders alleged that Rahul Gandhi was targeted by the BJP-led government to muzzle democratic dissent, suppress the Opposition voices inside and outside Parliament and trampling upon the peoples' Constitutional Rights to protest peacefully. Defying pouring rains in the city on Wednesday, Congress workers along with activists of MVA allies, staged a noisy demonstration in Chembur and another group attempted to storm the BJP office in south Mumbai, condemning the assault on students in New Delhi and the detention of the Gandhi siblings. Senior Congress leader Hussain Dalwai flayed the government for “misusing the police” to gag democratic rights and the protests were intended to defend the Constitution and democracy against the BJP’s policy of intolerance of dissent in any form. “This is gross injustice. We are not allowed to protest against the government failures as they are misusing the police. The PM is scared of taking the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as he could be the next. We want to highlight to the BJP to govern the country as per the Constitution,” Dalwai declared, interacting with the media at Nariman Point. As the BJP also threatened to launch counter-protests, the police cordoned off and deployed a precautionary security ring around Tilak Bhavan, the state Congress headquarters, as leaders from both sides exchanged political darts and looked aggressive enough for a confrontation. MVA ‘bandh’, ‘Tricolour’ march today The state is set for another two days of political turmoil as the MVA has announced a Maharashtra shutdown (‘bandh’) on Thursday followed by a non-partisan ‘Tricolour Peace March’ on Friday. MVA allies, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, besides other leaders of the alliance, informed of the state and city level actions today. Ambedkar appealed to the masses and also the BJP youth to participate wholeheartedly in the bandh tomorrow and claimed that students’ bodies, parent-teachers associations, colleges, universities, other institutes of higher education, private coaching institutions, and other governmental departments could support the shutdown, as it has now become a national issue. Aaditya sought the peoples’ participation in the ‘Tricolour Peace March’ on the theme of “One Nation, One Emotion” planned on July 24 afternoon to Shivaji Park, in support of environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, the Cockroach Janta Party, plus the youth and students protesting in New Delhi. Terming it as a national citizens’ movement rather than a political party, he called upon the people not to carry any party flags but unite under the National Tricolour to assert democratic rights and express resentment against the government’s high-handed policies. Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have already imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 across the city from July 23-to- August 6, apprehending the possibility of law-and-order disturbances.

Ready to quit if no trust in me: Uddhav

Mumbai: In a dramatic development, former Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray on Friday offered to quit his post if the party cadres desired it and hand over the reins to any ordinary Shiv Sainik.


In an emotionally charged yet aggressive address at the party’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations against the backdrop of the defection of 6 MPs, Thackeray said though he was “prepared to relinquish” the party chief’s post, provided the party was not allowed to fall into the hands of ‘traitors’.


“I am ready to quit as Shiv Sena (UBT) President at this moment. I have no lust for power or position, but my only condition is that the party should not go into the hands of turncoats. I have led the party for almost 15 years. Now false allegations are being hurled at me. You think and decide, and I am ready to step down immediately,” said Uddhav, signing off his speech, as his son Aditya and other senior party leaders rushed to his side.


The emotional appeal was met with thunderous chants from party workers urging him to continue leading the organisation.


Hitting back over the claims of political legacy of the (undivided) Shiv Sena, Uddhav asserted that the party was founded by his father Balasaheb in 1966.


“This party and its legacy were given to me by my father, Balasaheb Thackeray, and no ‘maika-lal can snatch it from me,” he declared amid resounding applause.


Attacking the six rebels, Thackeray tendered an apology to the people of Maharashtra for the defections.


“For the treachery of these six MPs, I apologise to the people. When there was a ‘Modi-wave’ in 2024, we countered it and got our nine MPs elected against all odds, despite massive money power. Now again they are playing the same games,” he said.


“Farmers don’t get a minimum support price or debt waivers for their work, but MPs’ prices are fixed. You have so much money? It is time to question the MPs you have elected. Go and exercise your right,” exhorted Thackeray, in a swipe at the defectors and those purportedly financing the operations.


He also rubbished speculation floated by certain vested interests that now the SS (UBT) would ‘merge’ with the Congress.


“See, even after remaining with the BJP for 30 years, we did not join them, so where is the question of merging with the Congress now? This party was born for the Marathi manoos and the Hindus, and it will never betray them,” asserted Uddhav to another round of claps.


Rubbishing allegations from the ruling side and the defectors, that he was ‘inaccessible to party leaders’, Uddhav shot back: “You donkeys, if I was really not meeting them, then how did they get elected? The party got you elected and gave you everything, but the credit does not go to me, it goes to Balasaheb Thackeray…”


Without taking names, Uddhav leered at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, saying how “some expected our anniversary celebrations to be sombre after the recent setbacks, but it has actually turned out to be a fiery affair, thanks to my Shiv Sainiks”.


Reiterating his earlier warnings that the country was being pushed towards authoritarianism, Thackeray claimed that the masses are losing ‘faith’ in democracy.


“The Bharatiya Janata Party is leading the country towards a ‘One Nation, No Election’ scenario. It is time for all of us to unite and perform an ‘Operation Lotus’ on them… Remember, when the youth of the country unite, they will uproot you,” said Thackeray.

Comments

bottom of page