MNS men dig footpath to protest over potholes

MUMBAI: Sharpening its attack on the state government over the issue of potholes across several city streets, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s (MNS) workers dug out the footpath in front of Mantralaya Monday night.

MNS workers, justifying their act at a time when the legislature’s monsoon session is being held in Nagpur, said that the ministers and the officers should know the trouble faced by common people. The party has warned government to fix the problem as soon as possible otherwise it will use all possible ‘means’ to support public.

Manoj Kumar Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (Zone 1) said, “Eight persons belonging to a political party were arrested for digging up the footpath near Mantralaya, while four others managed to escape. The accused were produced in the court on Tuesday, and were remanded to police custody till Thursday.

Around a dozen MNS activists had allegedly gone with spades and sticks at Mantaralaya, around 11 pm on Monday.

They dug out the road before gate number one and chanted slogans against state as well as public work department minister Chandrakant Patil. This was party’s second agitation after their workers stormed into PWD office over potholes on Sion-Panvel highway.

“Government is failing to watch the potholes. I hope, our agitation will open its eyes,” reacted MNS president Raj Thackeray.

“People are dying in accidents due to potholes. We saw how a lady was crushed under truck. Even after this, if government is running away from responsibility then as an opposition party it is our duty to get it back to work. We will do more such ‘MNS style’ agitations in coming days,” said MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande.

Congress has started ‘Aao Potholes Gine’ campaign whereas NCP has started ‘Name the Potholes’ campaign. Now MNS has made its debut with this agitation.