At a well attended ‘’Halla Bol’’ morcha organised on Saturday by the Maha Vikas Aghadi partners supported by like minded parties, labour unions and various organisations to protest against insult and disrespect to the icons, Karnataka government’s efforts to escalate border issue and flight of projects, the former union minister and NCP Chief Mr Sharad Pawar warned that people are calm today but if the Governor (BS Koshyari) is not removed in time, the state will not remain silent but take an offensive stand.  

‘’Mahatma Phule did great work in the field of education. If such a person is ridiculed by the Governor, then he has no right to hold that position. Never seen such a Governor in the history of Maharashtra. It has been 55 years since I myself went to the state legislature, during this period I saw many Governors who worked to increase the reputation of Maharashtra. But this time the state’s ideology is being put into crisis. Makes controversial remarks about Mahatma and Savitribai Phule. He should feel ashamed,’’ he noted.

Mr Pawar claimed that among the present rulers there is no competition for the development of the state, but a competition for the defamation of Maharashtra. ‘’A minister (without naming higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil), said Mahatma Phule, BR Ambedkar, Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil begged to start schools.’’

‘’If the rulers do not take a lesson from today’s morcha, I am sure that Maharashtra will not sit still and teach them (ruling alliance) a lesson in a democratic way,’’ said Mr Pawar.

The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Mr Uddhav Thackeray, who participated in the morchawith his wife Ms Rashmi Thackeray, declared that the gathering at today’s morchas will open eyes of traitors of Maharashtra (without naming Eknath Shinde and other who defected and joined hands with BJP to form the government). He targeted Mr Shinde and BJP saying that after looking at today’s mobilisation who will dare to break Mumbai and Maharashtra. 

He lashed out at the Governor Mr BS Koshyari for his controversial remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma and Savitribai Phule. ‘’I don’t even consider him as a Governor though I certainly respect that position. We will not tolerate anyone sitting in that position and making such controversial statements. The Governor is the messenger of the President and should behave like the President,’’ he claimed. 

Mr Thackeray also slammed Tourism Minister Mr Mangal Prabhat Lodha for comparing the Shinde’s rebellion and defection of legislators with the miraculous escape of Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj from Agra. ‘’Another minister (Abdul Sattar) used derogatory language against Supriya Sule. How such ministers are in the cabinet? This shows intellectual poverty,’’he noted. 

He announced that it is better if the power is lost but will not allow the identity of Maharashtra to be compromised. He warned that ‘’Anyone who tries to do so will not be forced to bend down on their knees.’’

‘’Belgaum, Karwar and Nipani have not yet become a part of Maharashtra. We will not rest without it.Today the flags of all the parties are seen here, this is the strength of Maharashtra. Only Maharashtra traitors are not here,’’ he taunted. He claimed that today’s morcha shows the traitors of Maharashtra their place. 

Leader of Opposition Mr Ajit Pawar asked who is the mastermind behind the insult to great men and Maharashtra’s icons. He objected to the Governor BS Koshyari still sitting on the post despite his controversial remarks (Shivaji is an icon of older times). 

‘’The Governor should be removed. The guilty MLAs should be removed. They should apologize. Steps should be taken to prevent this from happening again. Even if a law is enacted (to prevent insult and disrespect to icons and great men), the opposition parties will support it. I will propose such a law in the upcoming winter session starting from December 19,’’ said Mr Pawar.

The state Congress chief Mr Nana Patole criticised BJP saying that its real face has been exposed. ‘’Last week we saw the Governor sitting with the Prime Minister. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said that Shivaji Maharaj apologized to Aurangzeb five times. How BJP dared to insult the great man of the country,’’ he noted.

Today’s march has clearly signalled that the people of Maharashtra have dismissed Governor BS Koshyari. ‘’It has also sent out a warning to the Shinde Fadnavis government that it will not see the month of February. Today Maharashtra is on fire, we have come together to bury Ravana,’’ he said.