Congress questions 'urgency' for Bal Thackeray's Shivaji Park memorial

Against the backdrop of cacophony of demands over late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's memorial, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Saturday questioned the "urgency" to rush for the structure at Shivaji Park.

"Why there's a hurry. It is not that his (Thackeray's) name will vanish soon. Shivaji Park has been named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Thackeray revered the Maratha warrior and his politics revolved around this name. Even he (Thackeray) would not have liked Shivaji Park to be surrounded by controversy," MPCC spokesman Sachin Sawant told reporters in.

Sawant said MPCC will express its stand on the issue when a proposal comes up and government is ready to take a decision.

The 86-year-old Sena patriarch was cremated at Shivaji Park last Sunday. He breathed his last a day before after a prolonged illness.

Responding to a query on what action it has taken on the party corporator Sunil More for demanding that Thackeray's memorial should be constructed at Indu Mills land, Sawant said the MPCC has already served a showcause notice to him.

"Indu mill land is being earmarked for Babasaheb Ambedkar's memorial and it is a commitment. The issue is sensitive for the congress," the spokesperson said.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has already clarified that no law will be violated to accommodate Thackeray's memorial at Shivaji Park.