3 MVA parties to stage protest against PM Modi during his Pune visit

The workers of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress would stage a protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit here on March 6, local leaders said on Friday.

The three parties are part of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition in Maharashtra.

The protest will be against the prime minister's statement in Parliament blaming the Maharashtra government for the spread of coronavirus, the leaders said.

City NCP chief Prashant Jagtap and his Congress counterpart Ramesh Bagwe made the announcement here.

"To win votes in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, prime minister Narendra Modi made remarks in the Lok Sabha suggesting that Maharashtra spread COVID-19 in other states. This was an insult to the state. Therefore, as Modi is likely to come to Pune on March 6, the three parties will stage 'Go Back Modi' agitation," the NCP leader said.

The prime minister is expected to visit Pune on March 6 for the inauguration of Metro rail service, but there has been no official intimation about his program yet.

The agitation will be held at all key crossroads in the city and protesters will wear black clothes, Jagtap said.

The three MVA parties on Friday held a joint protest here against the arrest of state minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case.