Advocate-general Shreehari Aney on Tuesday formally tendered his resignation to the governor on Tuesday morning. After Shiv Sena’s aggressive stand against Mr Aney over his comments supporting statehood for Marathwada, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday evening suggested that Mr Aney resign from his post. However, while tendering his resignation, Mr Aney claimed that he was not asked to resign either by the governor or the CM.
Talking to mediapersons after his meeting with the governor, Mr Aney clarified that the decision to quit was solely his own. “The chief minister was against my decision (to quit the post), but the Opposition was trying to corner the CM using my comment on Marathwada,” Mr Aney said. He further said that if he did not resign, the Opposition would not allow approval of the budget and it would be a big loss for the state.
“Mr Fadnavis told me that it was a political issue and that he would manage it, but I did not want the state to suffer and hence I quit the post of A-G,” he said. Mr Aney is known as one of the brightest legal minds of Maharashtra and a fellow Nagpurkar CM Fadnavis appointed him as the A-G in October 2015.
Mr Aney, who has already expressed that he is a staunch supporter of statehood for Vidarbha, was reduced to a hate figure across parties when he said that Marathwada too should get statehood as injustice had been done to the region.
His statement stalled the business of both the Houses of the state legislature on Monday. An aggressive Shiv Sena, whose politics is based on the ideology of a united Maharashtra had threatened that they would not allow the House to function till Mr Aney stepped down. According to senior Sena minister Ramdas Kadam, party chief Uddhav Thackeray had instructed the leaders to boycott the Cabinet meeting and pressurise the CM.
Meanwhile, the chief minister said that the state Cabinet would convey to the governor that Mr Aney’s resignation be accepted. However, Sena, Congress and NCP demanded that the AG apologise to the House.
“Shreehari Aney has made some statements which are not in accordance with the state government’s stand. He has given his clarification to the government. Also, Mr Aney has submitted his resignation to the governor and as per procedure, he is taking cognisance of the same,” Mr Fadnavis said, while making a joint statement in both Houses of state Legislature.
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil then asked if his statement has been accepted as he has made statements that are “intended to break up the state” and are thus “dangerous”. “What he said is wrong. He should apologise to the House for making such statements,” Mr Vikhe-Patil demanded.
Reacting to this demand, Mr Fadnavis said, “According to Constitutional provisions, the A-G has been appointed by the governor. According to protocol, the governor will ask for an opinion from the government. We will take the decision in the Cabinet and convey it to the governor that his resignation be accepted,” Mr Fadnavis said.
Shiv Sena legislators staged a dharna at the main entrance of Vidhan Bhavan shouting slogans demanding that Aney be tried under the “sedition” charge.
After the chief minister’s statement, Sena members and ministers who had earlier announced that they would not take part in House proceedings and not attend Cabinet meetings joined the proceedings during the question hour.
Mr Aney, however, said that he stands by his statements. “In my reply, which was no more than 10 minutes in duration, I explained that there should be no anger or ill-will against Vidarbha. Both Vidarbha and Marathwada have been neglected by previous governments,” said Mr Aney, adding, “As far as Marathwada’s statehood is concerned, I categorically stated that Vidarbha’s statehood struggle has gone on for over 40 years, while Marathwada’s struggle is yet to start or may have just begun. By merely attaching itself to Vidarbha’s statehood demand, Marathwada will not get statehood. It would need to establish its demand and will have to develop its own leadership.”
He added that Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar who spoke of ‘Trai Maharashtra’ or three Maharashtras — Vidarbha, Marathwada and Deccan supported the demand for Marathwada. “I did state that I supported this view and Marathwada’s statehood demand. I also said that Vidarbhawadi people would support Marathwada’s movement,” he said.
