Tag: shiv sena

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Shiv Sena gives in on memorial issue

The Chief Minister didn’t relent. The BMC chief remained firm. Other parties attacked the idea. Shiv Sena now gives in.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It started as a raucous free-for-all, even before the ashes of the late Bal Thackeray could be immersed in the ocean and a reasonable period of time could elapse after his death, for a controversy using his name to begin and burn harder by the day. But a controversy did erupt, about making the makeshift memorial dedicated to Thackeray a permanent site, and as the days passed, the Shiv Sena’s stubborn demands began to be viewed with annoyance.

Now, after the State Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Sitaram Kunte remained firm on their stand that the makeshift memorial would have to be removed – the CM even refused to grant permission for a permanent memorial at Shivaji Park citing ‘legal issues’ – the Shiv Sena has reluctantly agreed to dismantle the makeshift memorial.

Replying to the December 3 notice that Kunte had sent to Sena MP Sanjay Raut and mayor Sunil Prabhu, asking them to remove the temporary structure at the earliest, Raut has now agreed that the Shiv Sena will remove the structure and level the ground over which it stands before handing it over to the Government.

This comes days after hundreds of Shiv Sainiks arrived at the spot to ‘guard’ the memorial from BMC action, in day-and-night shifts. The party had previously sworn to guard the memorial come what may, and that if the BMC tried to forcibly remove the memorial, Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said, “there could be law and order problems in the city.”

Earlier this week, as news of BMC’s vans being readied at their Worli garage to arrive at Shivaji Park did the rounds, six vans were vandalised by Sainiks. The BMC chief then called for the vandals to be suitably penalised, while holding firm on the notice sent to the Sena on removing the memorial.

 

 

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Bal Thackeray makeshift memorial still stands

Shiv Sena warns against State and BMC decision to remove the memorial from Shivaji Park; several Sainiks ‘guarding’ the site.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It seems that the time for the removal of the makeshift Bal Thackeray memorial at Shivaji Park is drawing close. The Park is witnessing heavy police presence, and the numbers of Shiv Sainiks pouring in to ‘guard’ the memorial from demolition are also on the rise. Reports say that a few BMC vehicles used in razing structures were damaged at the BMC’s Worli garage, after a rumour spread that a demolition squad was arriving at Shivaji Park soon.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray passed away last month. After his demise, a tussle between the Shiv Sena and the State, followed by the Shiv Sena and other parties, including the MNS, started over, of all things, a memorial to the late leader.

A makeshift memorial was erected at Shivaji Park for Thackeray’s followers to pay respects to him before he was cremated at the Park itself. The State had given permission for the memorial on the understanding that the Shiv Sena would have it removed just days after it had served its purpose.

However, the days passed by and the Sena made no move to remove the memorial. Senior Sena leaders such as party spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut expressed the opinion that the memorial be allowed to stay, in fact, a permanent memorial to Thackeray be built at the spotThe State then gave Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Sitaram Kunte orders to have the memorial removed. That only riled the Sena more – the party threatened that if the memorial was touched, there would be a law and order problem in the city.

The Sena-led BMC has also decided to pass a resolution to rename Shivaji Park as ‘Shivtirth’ in memory of Thackeray. However, the State will have the final say in this matter. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is not amused by the Sena’s antics, and has declared that “nobody can take the law in their hands” in the matter.

(Picture courtesy ibnlive.com)

 

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He’s back

Ajit Pawar assumes office as Deputy Chief Minister today. Stage is set for a stormy Winter Session of the Legislature.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

As political exiles go, this one was curiously short-lived. Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, had quit his post in September this year, amid allegations of corruption in irrigation projects. Today, a little over two months later, he returns to his former post, just in time for the Winter Session of the State Legislature, which begins in Nagpur on December 11.

However, Pawar has made it clear that he will not handle any portfolio at the moment. A letter from the NCP asking that Pawar be reinstated to his former office was sent to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan this week, following which, the date and the time for the swearing-in was fixed. Pawar will take oath at Raj Bhavan.

The stage was set for Pawar’s return the moment the State Government received the white paper on irrigation a few days ago, and which did not speak of the spate of irregularities in irrigation, or the alleged rampant politician-contractor nexus. Without naming Pawar anywhere, the Government succeeded in indirectly absolving him of all blame, though Chavan kept clarifying that a ‘clean chit’ had not been given to anybody.

Yet, the white paper presented the perfect opportunity for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), to which Pawar belongs – he is the nephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar – to clamour for his return. Yesterday, party spokesperson Nawab Malik reiterated that the party had been demanding that Ajit Pawar return to the Government, and that this demand had been conveyed to the party leadership. It may be remembered that the NCP had not replaced Pawar with another NCP leader; it was almost as if the Deputy CM’s chair had been kept vacant for him, with his return imminent.

Opposition parties in attack mode

However, the Opposition parties in the State – led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have not taken kindly to Pawar’s return. The Winter Session of the State Legislature begins on December 11, and all political action will then move to Nagpur. However, on hearing of Pawar’s return to the State Cabinet today, the Shiv Sena threatened to move a No Confidence motion against the Government. “We oppose his return to power till his role (in the irrigation scams) is investigated thoroughly,” said Sena leader Subhash Desai, while the BJP reiterated its demand for an SIT-level probe into Pawar’s and Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare’s roles in the controversy.

(Picture courtesy pardaphash.com)

 

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Dhada Hospital remains open despite bandh

Shaheen Dhada’s uncle kept clinic open despite a total shutdown in Palghar. Meanwhile, cops and special security units maintained security.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

True to its word, the Shiv Sena enforced a total bandh in Palghar yesterday, to protest against the suspension of two senior police officials in the Facebook arrests case of two Palghar girls, Shaheen Dhada and her friend Rinu Srinivasan. However, despite a complete lockdown – shops, industrial units and other establishments were closed and transport was off the roads – Shaheen’s uncle, Dr Abdul Dhada, kept his clinic and medical dispensary open. Police personnel were posted outside the clinic to provide security all day.

After Shaheen was pulled up by the Shiv Sena for questioning the shutdown of Mumbai after the demise of Sena chief Bal Thackeray on November 17, 2012, a group of Shiv Sainiks had ransacked Dr Dhada’s clinic. Though the charges against the two girls have been all but dropped and 10 arrests have been made in connection with the vandalism at the clinic, no compensation has been given to Dr Dhada yet.

The rest of Palghar remained indoors, however. Heavy security was deployed all over the area and no untoward incidents were reported. The Shiv Sena yesterday reiterated its demand that the State revoke the two police officers’ suspension.

(Picture courtesy rediff.com)

 

 

 

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Patrakar types

Palghar for President!

We’re glad Palghar is on the map, and for putting us all in our places through an innocent Facebook post.
by Vrushali Lad | vrushali@themetrognome.in

I am a little baffled. Since when did political parties log on to Facebook? And if they have been logging on, are their FBs different from ours? I ask because if I see a post I dislike or disagree with, I ignore it or say what I didn’t like about it. Just last week somebody posted a picture of Lady Gaga that I did not need to see. But my FB did not whisper to me to go the police against my friend for hurting my sentiments (and my eyes). May be that’s why I don’t understand politics – my FB wall is very lame.

What baffles me even more, and this is very patronising of me, is that it took Palghar, Thane district, Maharashtra, to put the issue of Internet checks and balances on the map. Little old smug city girl me has always believed that the country’s biggest movements would always originate from Mumbai or the other metros. Not that I’m complaining, of course – Palghar’s young ones haven’t exactly been treated well by the police and the political parties, what with two of them already arrested for posting content against the Shiv Sena, and a third in trouble for dissing Raj Thackeray on Facebook.

If I was a Palghar kid with access to Facebook, I would open several accounts and slang out every political party I know, just to see what happens. No, I am not about to do it, because I am not a Palghar kid (see what I did there?) I think I know what would happen – if you think intolerance towards criticism of their party or its chiefs is strictly a Shiv Sena or MNS thing, you’ve got another think coming.

I am very proud of Palghar. Palghar and its youngsters have shown us the way. In this day and age, it is not a mean achievement to have a Twitter hashtag created after your name, or to have people outrage over your arrest as they sip their coffee in their air-conditioned offices. The day the two girls were arrested, somebody created a fake Shaheen Dhada account as well.

Sure, some ignorant ones are still asking, “Hey, where IS Palghar?”, but they’re also ‘liking’ others’ call for support, aren’t they? And whether we remain unsure of Palghar’s geographical location or not, aren’t we all secretly thrilled that we can now write and post things with some impunity about the Party That Must Not Be Named, because we can cite those two girls every time somebody threatens us with arrest? Of course, we can’t keep shouting, “Shaheen Dhada! Rinu Srinivasan!” while a mob ransacks our office or clinic, but at least we now have something to shout out in our defence.

My vote of thanks goes to Palghar. For giving us a worthy event to include in this year’s list of exciting events. For shaking us out of our slumber, induced by some weird idea that nobody outside Mumbai has access to social media. For proving that the Shiv Sena, wherever it may be, is a delightfully predictable political party. And for its two young girls, for innocently saying the things that we were thinking but did not have the courage to think out loud for so long.

P.S.: Where is Palghar?

Vrushali Lad is a freelance journalist who has spent several years pitching story ideas to reluctant editors. Once, she even got hired while doing so.

(Picture courtesy jaimaharashtranews.com)

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Sena to keep Palghar closed

Protest against action against cops who arrested two Palghar girls for Facebook post. Transport, shops likely to remain shut today.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Yesterday, Superintendent of Police (Thane rural) Ravindra Shengaonkar and Senior Inspector Shrikant Pingle were suspended in the Palghar Facebook arrests case. After the arrest of Shaheen Dhada and Rinu Srinivasan (Shaheen had questioned the shutdown of Mumbai after the demise of Sena chief Bal Thackeray and Rinu had ‘liked’ the post), the Inspector General (Konkan range) Sukhwinder Singh prepared and submitted a report on the matter, and said that the three officers in the case had acted with impropriety.

However, despite the egg on its face still fresh, the Shiv Sena in Palghar is in no mood to back down in the matter – even though the case against the 10 Sena men accused of vandalising Shaheen’s uncle’s clinic will now be pursued with fresh intent – and has announced that there would be a bandh in Palghar to protest the action against the police officers. The Sena is also miffed with the fact that all charges against Shaheen and Rinu will be dropped.

Adding fuel to this fire, the Palghar Bar Association has also called for a strike to protest against the transfer of magistrate BR Bagade.

Bhushan Sankhe, Sena shakha pramukh in Palghar who filed the complaint against the girls, has told a city-based newspaper that “…the girls are the main culprits of the saga and are being let off too easily…we are against the transfer of the magistrate who remanded the girls to custody and the suspension of the police officers who arrested them. The government’s action is not justified.”

The Sena’s call for a bandh means that transport, educational institutions, offices and shops are likely to remain closed in Palghar today. This lockdown comes a little over 10 days after the shutdown of Mumbai following the demise of Bal Thackeray on November 17, 2012.

(Picture courtesy scmp.com) 

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