Din in Maha Legislature over remarks on separating Marathwada

Remarks of Maharashtra Advocate General Shreehari Aney over a separate Marathwada state led to ruckus in both Houses of Maharashtra Legislature on Monday with the Congress-NCP opposition seeking his ouster and ruling ally Shiv Sena taking serious objections to the comment.

Aney, at an event in Jalna yesterday where he disbursed relief to families of farmers who committed suicide, said Marathwada bore more injustice than Vidarbha and should therefore be independent. He also called people of Marathwada to start a movement for formation of a separate state.

In December last year, Aney had called for referendum on the issue of carving out separate Vidarbha state.

Senior opposition leaders today submitted a proposal under Rule 23 of the House to Legislature principal secretary Anant Kalse, seeking Aney’s removal from the key post.

The signatories to it include former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan of Congress, Dilip Walse Patil of NCP and SP leader Abu Azmi. “By making such irresponsible and provocative statement, Aney has violated provisions of Article 165 of the Constitution,” Walse Patil said.