Sena slams BJP over M'rashtra A-G remark on Vidarbha statehood

The Shiv Sena on Tuesday fired fresh salvo at BJP when the Uddhav Thackeray-led party members brought in a privilege motion against Maharashtra Advocate General Shrihari Aney for his pro-Vidarbha comments.

Shiv Sena legislator Pratap Sarnaik’s breach of privilege motion in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly was rejected by Speaker Haribhau Bagade.

As soon as it was rejected, Sena members joined Sarnaik and raised anti-Aney slogans and entered the Well of the House. Fadnavis was also present in the House. The Speaker then asked the chief minister to give a statement on this issue, but he is yet to respond.

“He is an officer of the government…he is the Advocate General…he is the top law officer of the government…what he says, is this the view of the government,” Sarnaik later told reporters at the Vidhan Bhavan complex.

“Advocate General Aney has insulted the feelings of Maharashtra and hence he has to apologise to this House and then only we are ready to forgive him; otherwise Shiv Sena will continue to protest against him,” he said.

It may be recalled, on the eve of the winter session, Aney had said:  “There should be a referendum…. If 51 per cent people vote in favour of statehood, then the Centre should create a separate Vidarbha….if not we would not demand it.”

“I know for sure that more than 80 per cent people in the region will vote in favour of it and that is why the Central government does not have the courage to go in for a referendum,” Aney said .