Uddhav Thackeray with wife Rashmi, and other senior Shiv Sena leaders pay homage to late chief Bal Thackeray on his third death anniversary at Smriti Udyan in Shivaji Park on Tuesday (Photo: Rajesh Jadhav)
Uddhav Thackeray with wife Rashmi, and other senior Shiv Sena leaders pay homage to late chief Bal Thackeray on his third death anniversary at Smriti Udyan in Shivaji Park on Tuesday (Photo: Rajesh Jadhav)
Shiv Sena and BJP appeared to be a united front when they came together to announce late Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s memorial at the mayor’s bungalow. MNS chief Raj Thackeray, however, called this a “land grab”. On the third death anniversary of Bal Thackeray, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray held a joint press conference at the mayor’s bungalow and announced the memorial.
“Balasaheb Thackeray was a tall leader and we have always wanted to build a memorial for him. A committee appointed to look for space has finalised the mayor’s bungalow at Shivaji Park,” Mr Fadnavis said.
“I thank the CM for respecting the sentiments of the Hindus. The place also has political importance and soon we will discuss a plan for the memorial,” said Uddhav.
Estranged Thackeray cousin Raj lashed out at the Sena-BJP and said that the mayor’s bungalow was not the appropriate place for the memorial when the BMC has a few open spaces available at Shivaji Park. “The memorial cannot be constructed at the mayor’s bungalow. I suspect that they (Shiv Sena) are eyeing the bungalow. I wonder how they didn’t get space for the memorial in entire city They have vested interests,” he said. The MNS chief is also going to meet the CM over the issue.
Raj, who was once close to Bal Thackeray, did not visit the current memorial of the late Sena leader on Tuesday. The memorial is a small garden patch maintained by the BMC at Shivaji Park where Bal Thackeray was cremated. All his followers visited the place to pay their respects on the death anniversary.
“I had gone there last year but faced sloganeering. The party workers (Shiv Sena) should understand the seriousness. Sharad Pawar and then chief minister (Prithviraj Chavan) shared the same experience last year. Hence, I did not go this time. But I stay in the same area and always pay my respects wherever I pass through it,” Raj said.
