Several Opposition leaders, including Sharad Pawar, Hardik Patel, Omar Abdullah and Sharad Yadav participated in the “Samvidhaan Bachao (Save the Constitution)” rally in Mumbai on Friday.
Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party had invited other political parties to join the march. Before the rally, the leaders met at the home of Maharashtra legislator Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.
The protesters marched from the statue of BR Ambedkar near the Mumbai University campus to the Gateway of India.
“This will be a silent march,” said Maharashtra independent MLA Raju Shetti, according to PTI. “After reaching the Gateway, they will stage a sit-in for some time. There will be no speeches.”
January 26 was selected for the rally as it was the day when India adopted the Constitution, the NCP earlier told The Hindu.
The leaders of all “like-minded parties” will meet in New Delhi on January 29 to “deliberate on the way ahead against the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the Centre, Pawar told News18 later.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, and Congress leaders Sushilkumar Shinde and Ashok Chavan were present during the march.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party said it would organise the “Tiranga Yatra” in Mumbai on Friday, with ministers, MPs and MLAs likely to participate. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will address the gathering, the BJP said.
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