People will break dahi handi of govt's 'sins' in 2019: Chavan

The opposition Congress tapped the popular festival of 'Dahi Handi' being celebrated Monday in Maharashtra to protest against the alleged 'sins' of the BJP-led governments in the state and at the Centre.

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan broke a 'dahi handi' (an earthen pot), symbolising the alleged 'sins' of the two governments, while leading the protest at Karad here in the state.

Party leaders and activists carried banners, having a message that the handi of government's "sins" has got filled to the brim.

"Now people will break the dahi handi of sins of this government in 2019," Chavan said.

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and ex-state ministers Balasaheb Throat and Harshvardhan Patil also took part in the demonstration and shouted slogans against the two governments.

'Dahi Handi' is a ritual observed during 'Janmashtami', wherein young boys and girls form a human pyramid and one of them climbs on top of it to break the earthen pot carrying curd, symbolising victory through unity.

The Congress' protest is part of the first phase of its 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra', a public outreach exercise to highlight the alleged failures of the governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The outreach programme was launched Friday in Kolhapur and it will culminate in Pune on September 8.

The Congress intends to carry out similar drives in North Maharashtra (beginning October 2), Marathwada, Vidarbha and Konkan, including Mumbai.