Mumbai, August 5: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) staged a vigorous protest on Wednesday in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi near the state secretariat. The NCP is demanding an unconditional public apology from the Congress leadership for a controversial social media post referring to Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and NCP National President, Sunetra Pawar, as a ‘dumb doll.’
During the protest, NCP activists chanted slogans such as “Not dumb, but a storm… not a storm, but a tempest” and “Sunetra Vahini, move forward, we are with you.”
Protesters paid tribute at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and offered symbolic prayers, wishing for “better understanding” from the Congress party.
Key leaders participating in the protest included MLA Sana Malik, newly appointed NCP State Women’s Wing President Vaishali Nagwade, Mumbai Executive President Siddharth Kamble, State Youth Wing President Nikhil Thackeray, along with numerous party officials and workers.
The protesters condemned the incident, accusing Congress of using derogatory language against women. During the demonstration, NCP leaders and activists wore black armbands and held copies of the Constitution, later observing a moment of silence to express their dissent.
The impact of the Congress statement was felt across the state on Wednesday. NCP workers aggressively protested against Congress in several major cities, including Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik, warning that the movement would continue until the party issues a formal apology.
On Tuesday, during a press conference held by Maharashtra Congress President Harshvardhan Sapkal, a group of party workers led by former State Youth NCP President Suraj Chavan stormed the party office in South Mumbai, demanding an apology. Following this, NCP continued its protests for a second consecutive day. They held a silent protest again on Wednesday, reiterating their demand for an apology from Congress.
Sunetra Pawar stated to reporters on Tuesday, “I will respond to the Congress party at the appropriate time.”
NCP Executive President Praful Patel condemned the derogatory language used against the party’s national president and Maharashtra’s first female Deputy Chief Minister through the official Congress account.
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