Mumbai, Oct 3 (PTI) There is growing anger among youth against the BJP governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra and cases are being filed to suppress their voices, state Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said on Saturday.
The protest at Shivaji Park on Friday had given expression to this discontent, he said, adding that youth would not be deterred by cases filed against them.
The Cockroach Janta Party had held a protest at the iconic ground seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
“The youth have taken to the streets to save democracy and the Constitution. The issues they have raised are important ones facing the country,” Sapkal told reporters.
Sapkal said the government cannot suppress people’s voices through pressure and warned that the BJP would have to face the consequences if it tried to do so.
He also asked why CEC Kumar was not speaking on the letters allegedly sent to him by two Election Commissioners and the Maharashtra chief electoral officer.
“Why is Gyanesh Kumar not speaking on these letters? The BJP should answer this. The BJP should stop raising Hindu-Muslim and India-Pakistan issues to divert attention,” he said.
Referring to a long march by tribal students from Nashik towards Mumbai and protests by students in Pune over alleged irregularities in Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), Sapkal said these were signs of dissatisfaction among young people.
“Students have been demanding the removal of MPSC chairman Vivek Bhimanwar but the government is not responding to their demand. Bhimanwar is close to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The CM should act like a chief minister and should not take the stand of ‘it was not me’,” Sapkal said.
On the drought situation in Maharashtra, Sapkal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to visit Baramati on November 3 and distressed farmers of the state are hopeful that a package will be announced for them, including assistance of Rs 1 lakh per hectare.
On the upcoming Legislative Council elections, Sapkal said there were no differences within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).
Of the five seats, Congress has sitting members in two constituencies and the party has given them another opportunity, he said.
The Congress has also announced its candidate for Amravati, while discussions were underway for the remaining two seats.
“The elections are for graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies and parties in the MVA are working together. There is no deadlock. A meeting is being held to further strengthen coordination,” Sapkal said. PTI MR BNM
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