The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction, launched a “Jode Maro” protest march in Mumbai on Sunday, expressing its anger over the recent collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue.

The protest, which began at Hutatma Chowk and aimed to reach the Gateway of India, saw participation from key opposition leaders, including Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, and Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole.

The opposition bloc’s “Jode Maro” protest — literally meaning “hit with footwear” — was intended as a symbolic act against what they called a gross insult to Maharashtra’s pride Shivaji Maharaj.

Calling upon the public to join the agitation, the Shiv Sena (UBT) tweeted that the march was aimed at bowing at Shivaji’s feet to “awaken the pride of Maharashtra.”

The Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP echoed strong sentiments, stating that there is no forgiveness for corrupt “Shivdrohis (betrayers of Shivaji)”, who they accuse of being responsible for the statue collapse.

The state unit of Congress said that the march sought to “teach a lesson” to those who engaged in shoddy work, committed corruption, and insulted the legacy of Shivaji.

Speaking on the protest, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Anil Desai criticised the Maharashtra government for its handling of the situation, remarking, “PM was emotional, he expressed his grief over the incident, but the government of Maharashtra, which should have expressed themselves, didn’t. On the contrary, they started picking up with the Opposition in a wrong way and calling that we are politicising the issue whereas this was the most emotional issue that Maharashtra never witnessed in the past.”

Desai also underscored the peaceful intentions behind the protest, saying, “We had done everything in a democratic way… But we are assuring and expecting cooperation from the same administration and Police authorities… because this morcha will be held in a very democratic and disciplined way.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant added to the criticism, saying “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is God-like for us. His statue collapsed and with that, our devotion, honour, and self-respect collapsed and fell there. Despite such disrespect, leaders of political parties supporting it – what else will they do if not condemn them?”

Sawant also condemned the Maharashtra police for stopping the protesters, stating, “We are being stopped in our own Maharashtra by our own Police that we can’t go ahead with it.”

Meanwhile, in response to the MVA’s protest, the BJP organised a counter-demonstration, accusing the opposition of politicising the incident.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the protest as a political stunt. “This agitation is completely political. Be it Maha Vikas Aghadi or Congress party, they never respected Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis also criticised the Congress and accused the country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru of insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in his book titled ‘The Discovery of India’.

“Nehru ji insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in The Discovery of India. Will Congress and MVA apologise for it?” he asked.

The 35-foot statue of the Maratha emperor at Rajkot Fort collapsed on August 26, just a few months after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.