Maharashtra Advocate General Shreehari Aney, Tuesday, submitted his resignation to Governor C Vidyasagar Rao after facing flak over his statement in favour of a separate Marathwada state.
During an event organised by the Marathwada Mukti Morcha, Aney, who is a known vocal supporter of a separate state of Vidarbha, had backed a separate state of Marathwada. He had earlier called for a referendum on the issue of carving out separate Vidarbha state.
The Shiv Sena had taken the lead in protesting against Aney and had threatened to not allow the state assembly to function till Aney quit his post. However, after Aney submitted his resignation, the Shiv Sena said that they will continue to protest against him until he apologises to the people of Maharashtra. The Sena also demanded that the Fadnavis-led government should register a case against him.
Congress leader Narayan Rane had hit out at Aney on Monday saying his head should be separated from his body, so he would understand how it feels when you break the state.
Aney who hails from Fadnavis’s hometown Nagpur and is said to be latter’s mentor when he grated in law, has earlier too landed the government on the backfoot. In December 2015, he had triggered a row after he spoke in favour of statehood for Vidarbha at a public function in Nagpur during the Winter Session. It had evoked sharp reactions from the Opposition and the Shiv Sena who wanted his resignation.
Fadnavis had then come out in support of Aney. He had said the decision related to separate statehood solely came under the jurisdiction of Parliament and the Union government. Fadnavis had bailed him out on that occasion by stating, “The remarks were Aney’s private views and not in the capacity as AG.”
In February this year, while representing the state in court, Aney had remarked: “The government is afraid of losing the paltry sum of Rs 30,000 to fraudulent claims. It does not realise that no man will try to defraud the state by claiming his own life. But then we cannot expect officials to understand the farmer’s plight while sitting inside air-conditioned offices in Mumbai.”
After repeated disruptions led to adjournment of the both Houses on Monday. The Opposition and Sena leaders threatened not to allow work unless Aney was divested of the constitutional post, after which Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
“I will make a detailed statement in the Assembly and the Council on Tuesday,” said Fadnavis.
