After the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) embarked on a protest march in Mumbai over the recent collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Sindhudurg, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut strongly condemned the BJP’s counter-protest. Raut criticized the BJP for its response and accused Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of orchestrating the incident.
During a press conference, Raut lashed out at Fadnavis, asserting that he is behind the statue's collapse and that this is a well-known fact, even acknowledged by Prime Minister Modi. He emphasized that mere apologies from the Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister would not resolve the issue.
Raut underscored that the people of Maharashtra have a right to voice their grievances and that the destruction of such a significant statue, located in a historic fort, demands a strong democratic response. He defended the MVA’s protest as a necessary action to address the situation and asserted that they would not remain silent in the face of such disrespect.
He further said that the police are stopping them from holding their protest march from Hutatma Chowk to Gateway of India."We are being stopped. Still, all the workers of Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Nana Patole, Congress, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party will gather at the Martyr's Memorial and will go to the statue of Shivaji Maharaj near the Gateway of India. This is our right. You cannot stop us. You can arrest us as you have the police in your hands," he said. The BJP is also holding a counter-protest in Dadar area of Mumbai against the Maha Vikas Aghadi.