Mumbai mayor faces eviction due to Thackeray memorial
Mumbai's mayor Snehal Ambekar faces eviction from her mayoral residence to make room for Bal Thackeray's memorial. She is likely to ask the Municipal Commissioner to shift from his Tony Carmichael Road, so that she can shift there. This would force Additional Municipal Commissioner to change his bungalow. The memorial would be managed by Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray through an independent public trust.
Born on 23 January 1926, Bal Thackeray was the founder of right wing marathi party Shiv Sena. He was also the founder of Marathi language newspaper Saamna which Shiv Sena uses for its propoganda. His political philosophy was shaped by his father Keshav Thackeray who was a leading figure in the United Maharashtra movement. He was often criticized for his antagonism against non-Marathis.
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis announced that a grand memorial would be built for Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray at the Mayor's bungalow in Shivaji Park area. He also said that the entire cost for making the memorial would be borne by the government. Thackeray's son Uddhav Thackeray said that the memorial would contain every detail of Balasaheb Thackeray, so that everyone can know about him.
The Maharashtra government may violate a 2013 Supreme Court order over the Thackeray memorial which prohibited government houses from being turned into memorials or monuments.
BMC opposition-parties led by Congress said that taking over mayor's bungalow for Thackeray's memorial was unfair. They said that Matoshree, the Thackeray residence should rather be the venue for the memorial. MNS chief Raj Thackeray also opposed the move saying it was a bid to capture prime propoerty. MNS's Sandeep Deshpande questioned whether the CM would give away his bungalow for such a memorial.
Senior Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam said that they would approach the court to protest against government's decision to build the Thackeray memorial. Threatening an agitation, Nirupam said that the Maharashtra government should not fund the memorial. He alleged the BJP government had done this so that the Shiv Sena does not blackmail them over overthrowing the government in the future.
