Sena flays CM Devendra Fadnavis for keeping mum while Vidarbha flag was hoisted

MUMBAI: Ruling alliance partner Shiv Sena today flayed Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for keeping mum when a flag of a separate Vidarbha state was recently hoisted in Nagpur on Maharashtra Day.

Sena's comments come a day after the Raj Thackeray-led MNS singled out Fadnavis for "favouring" creation of a separate Vidarbha state.

"It is due to such people (those who unfurled the Vidarbha flag) that the country's integrity is damaged. Maharashtra CM saw the goings-on with eyes open. The BJP CM of Maharashtra and other ministers should have at least condemned the act," an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said.

"No state can have a separate flag. All have only the tricolour. By unfurling a separate flag, the supporters of a separate Vidarbha have insulted the tricolour and the Constitution," it said.

The Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti, Vidarbha Pradesh Vikas Parishad and a few other organisations during a programme led by former Advocate General of Maharashtra Shreehari Aney had hoisted flag of separate Vidarbha state in Nagpur on May 1.

Hoisting of the specially prepared multi-colour flag was seen as a mark of protest against the merger of the then Vidarbha, the Central Provinces and Berar into Maharashtra on May 1, 1960.

Aney, whose comments on separate Vidarbha had sparked a controversy, had said the flag of separate Vidarbha was being raised on May 1 from the last three years.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray had yesterday sought Fadnavis' resignation for favouring formation of a separate Vidarbha state.

"A person who espouses the cause of splitting Maharashtra, while simultaneously being its CM, has no right to continue in that post and should quit," Raj had said.