NCP (SP), Congress stage protest against BJP MLA's remarks about party leader

Sangli, Sep 22 (PTI) Workers and leaders of the Congress and NCP (SP) held a "Sanskriti Bachao Morcha" in Maharashtra's Sangli district on Monday to protest BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar's alleged derogatory remarks about NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil and his parents.

Addressing the morcha, NCP (SP) state president Shashikant Shinde said Patil was committed to his ideology and was loyal to party chief Sharad Pawar.

"The government wants to create a divide in society. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis says Padalkar has a bright future. If Fadnavis stands by such persons, his own future will be in jeopardy," Shinde charged.

Shinde urged the opposition parties to unite and resist the arrogance of power.

Padalkar's comments at a recent rally in his assembly constituency Jat, have kicked up a row, with Fadnavis also expressing his objection and advising the legislator to exercise restraint.

The NCP (SP) general secretary Rohit Pawar alleged that the BJP worked to divide Hindus and Muslims in the Lok Sabha polls, Marathas and OBCs in the assembly elections and now in the Mumbai civic polls, it wants to create a Marathi and non-Marathi divide.

Senior Congress leader Vishwajit Kadam pointed out that politics in Maharashtra has a legacy and culture and Sangli district has contributed to it.

Ideological differences were never personal, he said. PTI MR ARU