MVA holds protest march against CM Eknath Shinde government, Maharashtra Guv Koshiyari

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 17 : The tripartite coalition of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Saturday launched a protest march, across Mumbai, against the ruling Eknath Shinde government and Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari's remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Senior leaders from Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) and several workers from Navi Mumbai, Raigadh, Pune and other parts participated in the march towards Mumbai.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar arrived at the CSMT to address the rally. Senior leaders came down heavily against the remarks made by Governor Koshiyari. NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil stated that the Governor's remarks were intolerable.
"The people of Maharashtra will not tolerate anything said against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr Savitribai Phule and other great personalities. Our message to the Shinde govt is that they shouldn't try to change the history of the state," Patil told ANI.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat told ANI that "Some of the major projects were taken away from Maharashtra and given to Gujarat, and BJP won the elections there. The people of Maharashtra will give a strong message to the BJP with their vote."
Shiv Sena (Uddhav thackeray) spokesperson Sanjay Raut and NCP leader Supriya Sule were among those who participated in the rally.
Earlier on Thursday, MVA leaders announced that they would go ahead with the protest march against the Eknath Shinde-led government and Governor Koshiyari, regardless of whether or not they obtain permission for the march. However, on Friday, Mumbai Police gave permission to MVA for a protest march today.
Addressing a Press conference former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said, "On this 17th Dec, we will hold a 'Morcha' from Jijamata Udyan to Azad Maidan in Mumbai against the current state government and demands to remove Maharashtra's Governor, I appeal to all those who love Maharashtra to come together against those who have insulted the state."
Uddhav also slammed the state government over the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue. Stepping up its attack on the government, Thackeray said, "Karnataka has been asking for our areas, villages and even Jath, Solapur will they ask our Pandarpur Vithoba too? This raises one question-is there any government in Maharashtra? Like before the Gujarat elections, some businesses were shifted there, so before the Karnataka elections will our villages be given to Karnataka?.."
"See how Karnataka CM statement and there is BJP government in the state and CM Shinde become CM here because of BJP, they are not saying anything on the issues and there is an attempt to insult our leaders and icons of Maharashtra so we are doing this aandolan," Leader of the opposition party Ajit Pawar said.
Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said, "They have insulted Shivaji Maharaj, Jyotiba Phule and keep insulting and even Maharashtra Karnataka border issue and the statement given by Karnataka CM and here no one is replying in strong language from this government. All these issues must be addressed by this govt so we have decided to hold big Morcha."
The controversy erupted in the state after Maharashtra's Governor said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was an "old icon".
Addressing a function at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad on November 19, Governor Koshyari said, "If someone asks who your idol is, you don't have to go out looking for one. You will find them right here in Maharashtra. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has become an old idol now, you can find new ones -- from Babasaheb Ambedkar to (Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways) Nitin Gadkari."
This statement sparked a massive furore and drew censure from Maratha organisations and opposition leaders alike.