Heavy gridlock on Peddar Road in Mumbai following a protest by Congress workers.

The Maharashtra Congress postponed its scheduled agitation outside BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis' official residence here on Monday due to traffic congestion, but not before BJP functionaries came to the streets to confront governing party supporters. The projected agitation was part of a series of rallies organised by the Congress across the state to demand an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly 'insulting' Maharashtra with recent comments made in the Lok Sabha over the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

The Maharashtra Congress chairman Nana Patole was to lead the protest when the Mumbai Police stopped him outside his home and detained several party workers. The BJP's agitation had failed, according to MLA Ashish Shelar, who also claimed that the police had detained some of his party's leaders and workers who were ready to confront Congress supporters if they showed up outside the residence of Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

 

Modi should not apologise, according to Fadnavis, and the Congress should apologise for "ruining" the country. During the initial COVID-19 wave, when people were obeying lockdowns and pandemic restrictions, PM Modi declared in the Lok Sabha that the Congress was stationed at a Mumbai station scaring innocent labourers into fleeing to their native states.

 

Patole stated on Monday that his party was delaying the agitation because of the inconvenience it was causing to motorists. "Modi mocked Maharashtra's culture, namely the Maharashtra of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. We decry the BJP's support for Modi, who has humiliated Maharashtra "The speaker of the House of Representatives told reporters.

 

Patole pointed the finger squarely at the BJP for causing people trouble by disrupting traffic flow in sections of south Mumbai. He said that the BJP induced people to take to the streets by "offering them money to participate in the counter-protest."

 

 

Image Courtesy: Twitter @VishalBhargava5