MVA's 'slipper' finds its mark

TURN OF TIDE | Huge response to MVA's 'chappal maro andolan' with no takers for an 'arrogant' apology over the statue collapse

- Kalpesh Mhamunkar

The Maha Vikas Aghadi alliesthe NCP (SCP), the Congress and the Shiv Sena UBT -- embarked on a Jode Maro Andolan (hit with slipper protest)' from Hutatma Chowk to the Gateway of India on Sunday, to protest the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg district on August 26.

Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar and Congress state chief Nana Patole and Mumbai unit chief Varsha Gaikwad, Congress MP and descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj -Shahu Maharaj --MP Supriya Sule, MLA Anil Deshmukh, MPs Sanjay Raut and Anil Desai, MLC Bhai Jagtap, Congress leader Naseem Khan and MLA Aslam Sheikh participated in the protest.

They laid wreaths at Hutatma Chowk, a memorial to those martyred in the 'Samyukta Maharashtra' agitation, and then proceeded to the Gateway of India. Thousands of party workers and office-bearers participated in the march, carrying placards condemning the government.

Though there was no police permission, thousands of Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress workers gathered at Hutatma Chowk, shouting Shivaji Maharaj ki Jai, Mindhe Sarkar Haay Haay' and Jai Bhavani Jai Shivaji, There was heavy deployment of police personnel and the Reserve Police Force to manage the crowds. Police had seized effigies brought by protesters.