Uddhav not in panel for setting up Bal Thackeray's memorial

Mumbai, Dec 10: In a U-turn from its earlier stand to include Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in a panel to discuss construction of party patriarch Bal Thackeray's memorial, the Maharashtra government resolution (GR) has not included any political leaders in the committee.

"A committee has been constituted under my leadership where we will be discussing the construction of a memorial for late Balasaheb Thackeray," Chief Secretary Swadhin Kshatriya told PTI.

Fadnavis, after paying tributes to Bal Thackeray on his second death anniversary on November 17, had said that a committee under the Chief Secretary will be constituted to discuss construction of a memorial "suitable to Thackeray's status" and that Uddhav and leaders of other political parties will be on the panel. According to the GR issued by the state government last week, the panel, headed by Kshatriya, will have seven other members.

Additional and Deputy Secretary of the General Administration Department (GAD), Principle Secretaries of the Urban Development Department, Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte, Divisional Commissioner of Konkan region, and Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria have been included in the committee. The Shiv Sena, downplaying the government's move of not appointing a party leader in the panel, said a final decision on green signal to the project will only be taken after Uddhav gives his opinion.

"This committee will first make a presentation, and based on the proposal, we (the Shiv Sena) will give our opinion. It does not matter if the Sena is in the committee or not as naturally, Sena's and Uddhavji's opinion is very important for this project to go ahead," state Industries Minister Subhash Desai said.

PTI