Demolition rumours mobilise Shiv Sainiks

Demolition rumours mobilise Shiv Sainiks

“Aamhi Balasahebanche Shiv Sainik shapath ghetto aaj, choutharyala virodh karnaryacha utrawu maaj.” (We, Balasaheb’s Shiv Sainiks, take a vow today, we will crush the hubris of those who oppose his cremation platform). Standing a stone’s throw away from this hoarding put up on the periphery of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s temporary memorial at Shivaji Park, Sena deputy division chief Vijay Surve bristles with anger when the topic of the state government possibly removing the structure is broached. “This place is like a temple for us...a shakti sthal, prerana sthal. No one should dare to see this structure with an evil eye, we will gouge those eyes out. The government must not provoke us,” said Surve, warning that the Congress-NCP led state government will have a tough time if it tried to remove the platform.

As rumours of the state government and civic body deciding to remove the structure spread on Saturday, Shiv Sainiks from Mumbai and Thane trooped to Shivteerth (as the grounds are called by loyalists) to protect the platform. Thane MLAs Pratap Sarnaik, Eknath Shinde and Rajan Vichare came with thousands of cadres from the district who will take turns standing guard in the coming days. Soon after, the area on the periphery of the park was swarming with people bearing saffron flags and placards warning against the proposed action.

“This is Shiv Sena chief Hindu hriday samrat Balasaheb Thackeray’s samadhi spot and will stay so,” threatened Shiv Sena member and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, who is also the executive editor of the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna. He added that people from across Maharashtra were coming to pay their respects at the ‘sacred spot’ and warned against the government’s intervention. “A decision on a memorial will only be taken by party executive president Uddhavji. This temporary memorial is a matter of faith for us as this was where saheb’s final rites were conducted and hence, no one should talk about removing it,” said Shinde.

After Thackeray’s public cremation last month Shivaji Park in Dadar, the spot has become a pilgrimage of sorts for Sena cadre and other supporters who flock there to pray. A makeshift stall that sells flowers and garlands sees a lot of sainiks wanting to buy the same. A garlanded photograph of Thackeray has been kept on the platform where the structure exists.

“There is no problem in retaining the structure here and the Congress is unnecessarily making an issue out of it,” said Shiv Sena supporter and bank employee from Solapur, Nandakumar Putke, who had come to Mumbai to pay his respects. “Balasaheb did a lot for Mumbai. The government must honour that,” he said.