Meenatai statue desecration rocks Mah assembly

Mumbai, Jul 10 (UNI) The issue of desecration of the statue of the late Meenatai Thackeray, the wife of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, rocked the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly today.

With the Shiv Sena-BJP combine accusing the Government of going slow on the investigations and Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil lambasting the saffron alliance of politicising the incident to derive milage, a heated exchange of words between Mr Patil and the Opposition took place which resulted in Speaker Babasaheb Kupekar adjourning the House for 30 minutes.

The adjournment notice was moved by Leader of Opposition Ramdas Kadam soon after the House met, following a three-day break. Mr Kadam said the sentiments of the Shiv Sainiks were hurt and blamed Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi for the incident. ''Sainiks had taken out a morcha outside his House on Saturday, seeking his arrest for inciting violence in Bhiwandi, and he retaliated by desecrating the statue of Maasaheb (Meenatai thackeray),'' he alleged.

Mr Kadam criticised the Government for failing to book the culprits, who had earlier allegedly desecrated idols of lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesh in the nearby Shivaji park gymkhana.

''The anti-social elements were responsible for putting mud on the statue's face,'' he said.

He also demanded that the Government find out whether the lynching of two constables in Bhiwandi, Shiv Sena's 'morcha' at Azmi's house and the desecration were linked.

He was supported by BJP leader Gopinath Munde and Swantantra Bharat party leader Wamanrao Chatap. Mr Munde even went to the extent of warning of a retaliation from SS-BJP side.

Meanwhile, Mr Patil, while trying to turn the tables on the Opposition, said during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule, former Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde had taken a decision that the responsibility of protecting statues in Mumbai would be on the institutions who erect them.

''The statue at Shivaji park is on BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) land. Why couldn't Shiv Sena, which is in power in Mumbai's civic body, ensure protection of Meenatai's statue, who is revered among party cadre. The party leaders invoke her name to get votes and isn't it their responsibility to ensure the statue is protected. At the Mayor's bungalow nearby, many Shiv Sena gaurds are deployed every day, why can't one guard be kept near the statue,'' he asked.

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