Eknath Shinde-Led Shiv Sena distances from annual Dussehra rally at Dadar’s Shivaji Park
Eknath Shinde-Led Shiv Sena distances from annual Dussehra rally at Dadar’s
Shivaji Park
Ahead of the nine-day Navratri events kicking-off from 15 October, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has dropped its plan to hold the party’s annual Dussehra rally at Dadar’s Shivaji Park, paving the way for the BMC to give the go-ahead to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena.
On Tuesday Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar reportedly wrote to the civic body to withdraw the party’s application, stating that CM Shinde is in no mood to create any rift in the midst of Hindu festivals.
Instead the Shinde Sena is likely to hold its Dussehra rally at Azad Maidan or Cross Maidan in South Mumbai.
As per Uddhav Thackeray his party’s Dussehra rally will be held only at Shivaji Park.
In a repeat of the showdown last year over the Sena’s annual Dussehra rally, both groups had filed applications with the BMC last month asking for approval for Shivaji Park for Dussehra, which falls on October 24. The application for the Shinde Sena was made by Sarvankar.
According to Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar, they had made a request for Shivaji Park. Dussehra is an important Hindu festival, and people go for the Dussehra rally to hear thoughts about Hindutva. CM Shinde has said we will hold our rally at Azad Maidan or Cross Maidan. We have reserved both the maidans. A letter has been submitted to the BMC’s G-North ward office withdrawing our application for Shivaji Park.
He went on to add that they don’t survive on sympathy, but, do work and show the people.
Whereas Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab went on to say that the Shinde faction didn’t clear their path, so they made their own way. This permission was given to them for many years. They had every right to hold the rally, and they exposed how there was irregularity in paperwork.
They even were prepared to go to court, but now the controversy has been averted and our Dussehra rally will be held at Shivaji Park.
Last year the Bombay HC had ordered the BMC to permit the Uddhav faction to hold its Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park after the Thackeray Sena alleged the civic body had deliberately not given permission to it.
The Shinde-led Shiv Sena then held its own Dussehra rally at the MMRDA grounds at the Bandra-Kurla Complex.
In the midst of speaking to new entrants in the Sena (UBT) on Tuesday, Uddhav Thackeray affirmed that for the last 55-56 years, their tradition of Shivaji Park and Dussehra rally has remained intact. This year too, the Dussehra rally will be held with pomp and glory at Shivaji Park. The betrayers can form the government through khoke (money), but you can’t buy culture and tradition. They are only worried about how to protect their own chair.
News Edit K.V.Raman
