The Shiv Sena on Saturday began mobilising hundreds of its cadres “to protect” a temporary platform built at Shivaji Park where Bal Thackeray was cremated. As soon as the Sena got a whiff that the state home minister R.R. Patil had called for additional police force that might be needed in case the structure was removed from the ground, hundreds of Sena workers across Mumbai and Thane gathered at Shivaji Park on Saturday to prevent the authorities from taking any action against the structure.
Sena spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut on Saturday said that the Sena is ready to pay any price to protect the structure.
“This is a place of affection and worship for thousands of Sainiks. It would be better for this state if the law and the government don’t intervene. This issue is bigger than the law. The memorial is important for the people of the state,” he said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, which is controlled by Shiv Sena, has also put the onus on the state to remove the structure.
Earlier, the BMC commissioner Sitaram Kunte had issued a notice to Mumbai mayor Sunil Prabhu and Mr Raut to remove the structure or face legal action.
The notices were sent to the two as they had made an application on November 18 seeking special permission for Thackeray to be cremated at Shivaji Park.
However, now the BMC is contending that since the government gave the permission to hold the cremation at Shivaji Park, it is also the state government’s responsibility to get the ground cleared.
Sources from Sena said that the party is ready to resolve the issue amicably with the government. The party wants a plaque and a small strip of garden around the place where Thackeray was cremated and a bigger memorial somewhere near the mayor’s bungalow which is near Shivaji Park.
The state government is also aware of Sena’s plan, but it is wary of the negative reactions it will get from all quarters if it accepts party’s demand.