Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray came together on Tuesday to pay tributes to Bal Thackeray on the occasion of the latter’s third death anniversary and announced the State Government’s plan to set up a grand memorial for the late Sena chief at the Mayor’s bungalow at Shivaji Park here.
Sharing a platform with Uddhav for the first time after exchanging bitter barbs during the campaigning for the recent Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) polls, Fadnavis said that the State Government would build a “befitting memorial” for the late Sena chief at Mayor’s bungalow, located a stone’s throw away from the Shivaji Park ground, where Balasaheb was consigned to flames three years ago.
“There was a desire on the part of people across the State that a befitting memorial be built for late Bal Thackeray, a memorial that will always serve as a guiding force for us to build a Maharashtra of self-esteem. Based on the recommendations made by a high-powered committee that I had set up last year and consultations with Uddhavji, we have decided that the memorial will be located at the Mayor’s bungalow,” Fadnavis said.
Addressing a joint news conference with Uddhav after paying tributes to late Thackeray at the “Smriti Stal” set up in the latter’s memory at the Shivaji Park ground, the Chief Minister said that while the State Government would bear the entire cost of erecting the memorial for late Balasaheb, a public trust would be set up to execute the task. “Uddhavji has consented to be the head of the proposed public trust. The public trust would be along the lines of the Yeshwantrao Prathishtan set up in memory of late Chief Minister Y B Chavan in south Mumbai,” said.
Fadnavis said that though a time-line had not been set for the completion of the memorial, his Government plans to erect the memorial before it completed its term in 2019. “The proposed trust will decide on the nature of memorial to be set up and come out with a detailed plan in the next couple of months. The trust to be headed by Uddhavji will comprise senior officials and prominent personalities from different walks of life. Uddhavji will take a call on the nominees to be appointed on the board of the trust,” the Chief Minister said.
Replying to a question, Fadnavis said that the State Government had taken an “in principle” decision to transfer the Mayor’s bungalow to the trust in the next two months. “Owing to the takeover of the Mayor’s bungalow for the Bal Thackeray memorial, the Mayor will not be displaced. The Mayor will be suitably accommodated in the original bungalow meant for the Mayor,” the Chief Minister said.
Thanking the Chief Minister for allocating the Mayor’s bungalow plot for the proposed Bal Thackeray, Uddhav said: “On behalf of lakhs of Shiv Sainiks, I would like to thank the Chief Minister for fulfilling his assurance of allocating the plot for late Balsaheb’s memorial. The other plots identified for the memorial were equally good. But this place (Mayor’s bungalow) has its own significance. Call it coincidence, the proposed Balsaheb memorial is being set up at a location that in the middle of the memorials set for Veer Savarkar and late B R Ambedkar. It is right next to the Shivaji Park ground, which is karma bhoomi for the Shiv Sena. It was at the Shivaji that Balasaheb addressed his first Dussehra rally after the formation of the Shiv Sena in 1966”.
“We have not yet decided as to how the memorial will be. But we will make all efforts to ensure that the proposed memorial reflects the multi-faceted personality, ideology and accomplishments of late Balasaheb. We will seek the views of all those who were close to him and others from different walks of life to make a befitting memorial for the late Sena chief. But, one thing is certain that people, especially the followers of late Balasaheb, will feel proud to visit the memorial as and when it is ready,” Uddhav said.