Nagpur: Hordes of activists supporting separate Vidarbha protested in front of residence of Nagpur MP and Union Minister for Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday. Alleging Gadkariof stepping back from his poll promise, the activists dub the leader as ‘escapist’ who shunned his words after reaching the corridors of power. The activists were however restricted by the ‘dutiful’ cops who barred the protesters from getting near Gadkariwada, as the residence of Gadkari is called. The activists who had started the rally from Tilak Square in Mahal area to reach the residence of Gadkari were stopped by Police in front of Town Hall. The activists of Separate Vidarbha expressed their anger over the police action which they termed as undue and uncalled for. The activists laid down at the very spot where the cops stopped them and raised slogans against the leader as well as in support of statehood to Vidarbha.
Sources said Nitin Gadkarideliberately refrained from the activists despite being informed about the same.The rally of activists of Separate Vidarbha started at 2 pm and reached Town Hall at 2:15. The protest Dharna went on for quite some time and later the Personal Assistant of Nitin Gadkari, Sudhir Deolgaonkar came to the spot and received the memorandum following which the agitation came to a halt.
Today, the activists of Separate Vidarbha movement targeted the BJP government and claimed that they have cheated the people of Vidarbha with false promises.
Today's Rate
Sat 21 Dec. 2024
Activists threaten of violent protests on December 1, 2016
The activists of separate Vidarbha and Former MLA Wamanrao Chatap claimed that presently, the demand for Separate Vidarbha is being done in a peaceful and non-violent manner. However, if the BJP Government does not abide by their promise of a separate Vidarbha, then the activists will have to resort to violent protests. They raised the slogans like “Detey Ho Ya Jate Ho Ya Janata Ka Jootey Khatey Ho” (Are you giving (separate Vidarbha) or are you’re leaving or will you rather receive people’s footwear”).They intend to increase the intensity of their demand for separate Vidarbha. The present Government has complete majority and there are provisions in the Constitution too for them to take a decision on separate Vidarbha. They claimed that they can easily separate Vidarbha in one stroke and give the Vidarbhites their rights, yet the BJP Government is dilly-dallying over the issue.
Slogans of Murdabad raised against BJP, Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari
The activists of Separate Vidarbha Movement have been regularly staging protest rallies and agitations with their demand for separate Vidarbha. Till date, these protestors used to target Shiv Sena, Congress Party and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). However, this is the first time when the protestors had raised slogans against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP Government. The protestors had shouted slogans of “Murdabad” against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. The activists of Separate Vidarbha Movement had also expressed their displeasure over the statement of united Maharashtra by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Vidhan Sabha.
Activists term Gadkari as war deserter
The activists of Separate Vidarbha Movement had given 15 days prior intimation to Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, yet he was not present in his residence nor did he receive the memorandum. This behavior of Nitin Gadkari irked the protestors and Former MLA Wamanrao Chatap termed Nitin Gadkari as war deserter. According to the activists, they had many messages to be passed on to Nitin Gadkari.
The activists claimed that Nitin Gadkari often tells that not even four people come for the rally for the separate Vidarbha, so today, we wanted to show him that there are more than 2000 people assembled here to support the demand. They also said that the very people who had brought you to power can show you the door out too if you do not adhere to your promises.
Activists term BJP as one who break promises: Threaten to teach a lesson in NMC polls
During the protest Dharna held today, the activists of Separate Vidarbha Movement had targeted BJP government and the BJP leaders. According to the activists, the very Chief Minister who had raised the issue of a Separate Vidarbha during Loksabha Elections and Nitin Gadkari who had given a written promise of a separate Vidarbha have now allegedly become power drunk. The very issue which they had used to come to power in a historic manner in Vidarbha has now been forgotten by them. However, the people of Vidarbha will teach them a lesson. The people of Vidarbha and Nagpur will remove the BJP governance during the NMC polls. The Chief Minister is now explaining his helplessness by telling that he is the Chief Minister of United Maharashtra. If this was the cause, then why did he accept the position of Chief Ministership?
This is not the first time that the activists of Separate Vidarbha Movement are staging agitation. They have approached almost every leader with their demand for a separate Vidarbha. Last time too the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis did not meet the activists of Separate Vidarbha Movementwhen they staged an agitation near his residence. During that agitation, the police had arrested the activists of Separate Vidarbha Movement. However, such a thing did not happen in today’s agitation. Gadkari was not present to receive their memorandum but he promptly sent his PA to receive the Memorandum on his behalf.
The activists of organizations including Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti, Vidarbha Rajya Aghadi, Shetkari Sanghatna, We-Connect and Janmanch had participated in this agitation. Former MLA Wamanrao Watap, Ram Nevle, Dhananjay Dharmik, Pravir Kumar Ckakravarthy, Umesh Chaubey, Shrinivas Kandewale, Nanda Parate, Sharad Patil, Anil Killor and other leaders and activists of Separate Vidarbha Movement were prominently present for the agitation.
