Mumbai, Jun 21 (IANS): The Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party organised 'Gaddar Day' (Traitor Day) in different parts of the state to mark the anniversary of the walkout by 40 Shiv Sena MLAs led by Eknath Shinde, now the Chief Minister on this day last year, here on Tuesday.
There were loud protests and demonstrations, burning of 'Khokhas' (slang for Crore rupees), raising slogans and condemning the ruling ally Shiv Sena for its actions that led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government headed by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray in 2022.
Leading the protests in Mumbai, NCP Working President Supriya Sule said that she had the guts to call those who betrayed the government as 'traitors' and continued to fight oppression in any form.
"Is there democracy left in the state? If permission is not given to protest on the roads, then we are even prepared to go to jail for this," Sule declared.
Accompanied by a large number of activists, NCP General Secretary Jitendra Awhad joined an aggressive demonstration in Thane, the hometown of Shinde.
They condemned the government for ignoring the burning problems confronting the country like unemployment, spiraling inflation, women's security, education, and others. They also slammed the government for targetting the Opposition leaders or parties.
Hitting back, ruling ally Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rane demanded that the United Nations Organisation (UNO) declared July 27 (birthday of Uddhav Thackeray) as the 'World Traitor Day'.
Justifying his plea, Rane said that it's the birthday of ex-CM Thackeray, and claimed that the world's biggest 'traitor' was born on that day.
Rane's plea came soon after Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut shot off a letter to the UNO Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging that June 20 should be marked as a 'World Traitors Day', enraging the ruling alliance.
"One of the biggest traitors ever seen or experienced was born on this (June 27) day. He backstabbed his own father (late Balasaheb Thackeray) who was one of the greatest in the history of Maharashtra as well as India. He backstabbed his own religion and a close friend like the BJP for his own dirty ambitions to become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He has back stabbed Marathi-manoos and earned crores of money through corruption," said Rane.
"So, I am appealing to declare July 27 as 'World Traitors Day' as one of the biggest traitors history has ever seen was born on this day. So the world remembers him and curses him every single day," tweeted Rane, the son of Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane.
The 'treason' by Shinde and 40 MLAs, plus another 10 Independents last year was revived as both the rival parties celebrated their respective 'foundation day' on Monday.