MNS protests outside minister’s event venue to highlight condition of Mumbai-Goa highway

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Friday staged a protest outside the venue of an event attended by PWD minister Ravindra Chavan to highlight the condition of the Mumbai-Goa National Highway.

MNS activists led by party leader Sandeep Deshpande shouted slogans outside the Shanmukhananda Auditorium at Mumbai’s Kings Circle where Chavan was present for a felicitation function of engineers on the occasion of Engineers’ Day, which is observed on September 15.

The Mumbai police had deployed a large number of its personnel to keep the situation under control, but it became chaotic for some time after cops pushed media persons covering the protest.

Speaking to reporters, Deshpande said that they were opposed to the felicitation of engineers as they are the ones who are responsible for the condition of the Mumbai-Goa highway.

Replying to a query about Union minister Narayan Rane’s remark that one lane of the highway has been concretised, Deshpande claimed that the newly built cement concrete lane has also developed cracks and potholes.

“Forgot the adjoining road, we have shown cracks on the completed road. A video of it has also been posted on my Facebook account. Rane saheb can watch it,” Deshpande said.

The MNS leader said they were there to protest peacefully and not to create a ruckus at the programme.

Last month, the party took out ‘Padayatra’ (foot march) on the highway in which party chief Raj Thackeray and his son Amit had also participated.