No police permission but MVA will go ahead with Sunday’s protest at Gateway

MUMBAI: While the Mumbai police had not granted permission for the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA)’s Sunday protest till late on Saturday evening, the opposition coalition is hell-bent on staging a demonstration against the state government for the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue at Malvan on Monday.
The MVA has planned a statewide ‘Jode Mara’ (Hit them with shoes) agitation against the ruling alliance, alleging corruption in the construction of the statue at Rajkot Fort, which was unveiled by prime minister Narendra Modi in December. While the state government has ordered a probe by state and Navy officials, and Modi “apologised” to Shivaji Maharaj and his followers at a function in Palghar on Friday, the MVA has refused to call off its agitation. Top MVA leaders and workers will gather at Hutatma Chowk, a memorial to the Samyukta Maharashtra movement martyrs, and march to Shivaji Maharaj’s statue at the Gateway of India. From September 2, the three parties will stage protests across the state.
A senior police officer said the police had received an application and were perusing it. Sources said that some Mumbai police officers also called on NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and requested him not to proceed with the agitation, but MVA leaders were unyielding. According to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab, the police told MVA members that they could assemble at Hutatma Chowk but would not be allowed to go to the Gateway of India.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut pointed out that protests were being allowed in West Bengal even though they were against the ruling TMC. “Moreover, we are holding a protest on Sunday, a holiday,” he said. “We don’t require any permission to hold a protest; we are applying for it just as a matter of protocol.”
The ruling BJP, meanwhile, has decided to counter the MVA’s agitation by protesting against its “politicisation of the issue”. “The opposition is staging protests despite apologies by our leaders, including prime minister Narendra Modi,” said state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. “If they want to politicise the issue, we can cite at least 25 incidents where the Congress and opposition insulted Shivaji Maharaj.”
Bawankule said the BJP’s protests would be peaceful ones seated in front of statues of the warrior king. He will participate in the Nagpur protest while housing minister Atul Save and former union minister Bhagwat Karad will join the demonstration in Pune. MLAs Devyani Farande, Rahul Dhikale and Seema Hire will protest in Nashik while former union minister Narayan Rane will join the protest in Sindhudurg. Maratha leader Manoj Jarange-Patil, meanwhile, is expected to visit the site of the collapsed statue on Sunday.
Sindhudurg district collector Kishor Tawade said the police were looking for sculptor Jaydeep Apte, who is absconding. Structural consultant Chetan Patil, who was arrested on Friday, has been remanded to police custody till September 5.