Mumbai: Senior-most leader and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Saturday morning joined the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's mega-procession to protest against the repeated slurs on iconic personalities, here.
Others who will march with him include Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, Congress state President Nana Patole, NCP state President Jayanta Patil, Leader of Opposition (Assembly) Ajit Pawar and Leader of Opposition (Council) Ambadas Danve, Congress Legislative Party Leader Balasaeb Thorat and others.
Thousands of activists of various political parties, trade unions, workers, women, youth and social groups, teachers, auto-rickshaw unions, NGOs and others have gathered at a spot near Byculla flyover for the march which will go upto the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, around 5 kms away.
The Mumbai Police have deployed extra-tight security for the maha-morcha with over 2,500 personnel posted en route, drones and CCTVs monitoring all aspects of the procession and kept on standby other agencies.
This is the second biggest show of strength coming after the massive procession with some 80 parties and groups organised in Pune (December 13) along with a shutdown.
The other prominent leaders joining the procession are Samajwadi Party (SP) state President Abu Asim Azmi, Naseem Khan, Aditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, Dr. Jitendra Awhad, Dilip Walse-Patil, Bhai Jagtap, Dr. Raghunath Kuchik, Vinayak Raut, Supriya Sule, Chhagan Bhujbal, Sanjay Nirupam, Anil Parab, Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, MPs, MLAs, some Maratha groups' leaders, and representatives of other organisations.
Leaders of various parties optimistically claim that todays' procession could attract over three lakh people, with thousands of workers trooping in from all over the state since Thursday evening.
The main points of protest are the continuous insults to great personalities, the removal of the state Governor for his recent remarks, the flight of industries to Gujarat, and the Maharashtra-Karnataka border row which has suddenly flared-up.
The marchers are also highlighting the steep inflation suffered by the masses, the growing unemployment figures, lack of jobs for the youth, the derogatory statements used by certain ruling alliance ministers against women, and other burning issues.
Coming just ahead of the Winter Session of Legislature next week, today's procession, along with a series of protests held across the state in the past fortnight has apparently unnerved the ruling Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party, and it has 'appealed' to the Opposition parties to ensure that the demonstration is peaceful.
Accusing the Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders of making controversial remarks on the birthplace of Dr B. R. Ambedkar, the ruling ally Bharatiya Janata Party started its 'maafi maang' (Beg Forgiveness) demonstrations in Mumbai, here on Saturday.
The agitation is happening simultaneously as the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and around 50 parties and groups also launched their mega-procession in south Mumbai on various issues.
State BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule, BJP Mumbai President Ashish Shelar, senior leader Pravin Darekar and others are spearheading the protests along with thousands of party workers waving black flags and placards, raising slogans and condemning the Sena (UBT) at different places in the city.
They have condemned the Sena (UBT)'s attempts to raise doubts on the birthplace of Dr. Ambedkar, the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution and champion of the depressed classes.
"We have sent Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut a couple of official publications authored by BJP MLC Bhai Girkar on the life of Dr Ambedkar and urge him to read it to understand history... There are attempts to rewrite history and it is not acceptable to us. They must ask for forgiveness from the people," said Shelar.
The BJP leaders also slammed the comments of Sena (UBT) Deputy Leader and firebrand orator Sushma Andhare for ridiculing Hindu Gods, saints, the Varkaris etc and demanded to know "why is Uddhav Thackeray keeping mum on all this".
The MVA leaders like Raut and Congress state President Nana Patole have dismissed the BJP's 'maafi maango' agitation as "laughable" and intended to throw a spanner in the Opposition parties' mega-procession today.
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