Janhit Manch files a public interest litigation in the Bombay HC seeking to restrain the state from planning and building a Shivaji memorial.
MUMBAI: Mumbai’s own Statue of Liberty — the Rs100-crore Shivaji Memorial proposed by the state government is in trouble. City-based NGO Janhit Manch has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court seeking to restrain the state from planning and building the memorial.
The petitioners have filed the PIL based on the state’s financial condition. By March 2006, the states financial debt will be more than Rs1,15,000 crore. And the liquidity crunch is such that the government fails to pay salaries to employees on time.
Also, the budgets of several welfare schemes have been cut to the extent of 70 per cent. Based on this financial situation of the state, the PIL has asked the state government to justify the setting up of the Shivaji Memorial.
In the preliminary meetings, officials have considered the Elephanta, Cross Island, Oyster Rock, Khanderi Underi Island, Gharapuri island Backbay and Mahim Bay as possible sites for the memorial. Tipped as a tourist attraction like the Swami Vivekananda Memorial, officials are keen on a location in the Arabian Sea between Cuffe Parade and Raj Bhavan, with the second preference to Cross Island and Oyster Rock.
The PIL alleges that the Maharashtra government has failed to observe the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, which enables the state to avail of the debt relief scheme of the 12th Finance Commission and enhance the state’s credit rating in the open market to raise loan component to finance its annual plan.
“The FRBM Act provides for eliminating the revenue deficit by 2008-’09, reducing fiscal deficit to 3 per cent of the GSDP or its equivalent. How can the state justify the spending of Rs 100 crore for Shivaji Memorial vis-à-vis the implementation of the provisions under the FRBM Act?” said Bhagvanji Raiyani, founder of Janhit Manch.
Raiyani was quick to point out the political one upmanship used by rival parties in the project. “Shivaji is revered by all Indians and it is better to start a welfare project on his name rather than building a stone memorial,” Raiyani said.
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