The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, which is made up of the Congress, NCP (SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT), attempted a protest march from Hutatma Chowk to the Gateway of India amid a hostile Mumbai climate. The protest was called in reaction to the recent fall of the Sindhudurg district’s statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The march was stopped by Mumbai police, despite their best attempts. With assembly elections approaching, the BJP, represented by state chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye, has publicly questioned the MVA’s motivations and called the protest politically motivated.
MVA’s Protest and Police Intervention
This march was organised by the MVA as a protest against the Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP. Known as a “jode maro” (hit with footwear) march, the demonstration brought attention to their outrage at the statue incident. Mumbai police responded to the scheduled protest by sending out a large number of security officers to keep the peace. As a result, the march was eventually stopped before it could get to its designated location.
BJP’s Criticism of MVA’s Motives
The BJP questioned the necessity of the protest, particularly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a public apology for the incident involving Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue. Keshav Upadhye, the BJP’s chief spokesperson, accused the MVA of using the incident for political gain. He argued that the opposition’s sudden display of affection for the Maratha empire’s founder was shallow and strategically timed ahead of the elections.
Historical Apologies and Political Motivations
Upadhye further challenged the MVA by recalling past incidents where Congress leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Sonia Gandhi, issued apologies for various controversial remarks and actions. He questioned whether the MVA would have staged similar protests for those apologies, pointing out what he perceives as selective outrage from the opposition.
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