After anti-Macron protest in Mumbai, BJP targets Uddhav govt

Police said that it had removed posters of Macron that were scattered on a road

macron poster mumbai ap People walk on defaced images of French President Emmanuel Macron pasted on a street in Mumbai | AP

Protests against French President Emmanuel Macron have begun in parts of India over his defence of the right to publish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.

The Mumbai Police announced that it had removed posters of Macron that were scattered on a road in Bhendi Bazaar, over which vehicles were passing over on Thursday. Video clips of the posters were viral on Friday morning.

“The video and incident is of yesterday [Thursday]. Location is on Mohammad Ali Marg. Police reached the spot. The pamphlets were removed," a Mumbai Police spokesperson told The Mumbai Mirror.

The Raza Academy, a Muslim organisation, backed the protest at Bhendi Bazaar. “Muslims in Mumbai pasted Macron’s photographs on roads. People, cars, dogs, cats are walking over the posters. He (Macron) had the audacity... He must be punished like this only. I congratulate Mumbai for punishing this wrongdoer like this," Maulana Abbas Rizvi of Raza Academy was quoted as saying by Times Now.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra questioned the Maharashtra government on the incident in Mumbai.

"Government of Maharashtra What is happening in your government? India stands with France today . The PM of India has pledged to fight against the terrorism that is happening in... France. Then why insult the French president on the streets of Mumbai?" Patra tweeted on Friday morning.

Atul Bhatkhalkar, the BJP MLA for Kandivali East constituency, demanded a response from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

"When PM Modi has condemned the recent incidents in France as an act of terrorism, I would like to ask the Maharashtra CM what is his position on this; is he ready to condemn the acts of terrorism?" Bhatkalkar was quoted as saying by Times Now.

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