Maharashtra Opposition to protest against Shinde govt on December 17 over border issue

Border row: Maha Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said, "Our protest rally on December 17 will focus on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue, the Governor's and BJP leaders' insults to Maharashtra's icons, and other issues. It will be a peaceful and silent march."  

Maharashtra Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar announced that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), including Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), would protest against the Shinde-led Maharashtra government on Saturday, December 17, 2022. Pawar added that the protest rally would focus on the border issue and mentioned that the march would be silent and peaceful. 

While talking to the media, Pawar said, "Our protest rally on December 17 will focus on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border issue, the Governor's and BJP leaders' insults to Maharashtra's icons, and other issues. It will be a peaceful and silent march. We have yet to obtain permission for it."

Additionally, he said that all like-minded parties have agreed on the agenda for the protest rally and would like to invite as many people as possible to join.

The NCP leader said, "All like-minded parties have agreed upon this protest rally agenda. We requested permission but have yet to receive it. We want to invite many people to join us."

Furthermore, Pawar said he had asked the state government to appoint Harish Salve to represent the state in the Supreme Court over the border dispute.

"We have requested that the State government appoint Harish Salve from Maharashtra to represent us in the Supreme Court regarding the border dispute case," said NCP leader Ajit Pawar. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray slammed Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's Twitter account and questioned what caused the delay in issuing a statement.

Uddhav Thackeray said, "If the Twitter account of Karnataka CM was hacked, then why was there a delay in issuing a statement about it? Marathi-speaking people were targeted, and stones were thrown at buses. What was the outcome of the CMs' meeting with the Home Minister yesterday?"