Eknath Shinde said strict actions will be taken against those responsible. (File)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday assured strict action in the matter concerning the "beautification" of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon's grave in the Bada Qabrastan of Mumbai.
The Chief Minister said that an investigation has been initiated after the order of an inquiry into the matter. "An inquiry has been ordered. The investigation has also been started. Strict actions will be taken against those responsible," said Mr Shinde.
Meanwhile, according to the sources, the Mumbai Police has been directed to do a proper inquiry into the matter and also submit a report.
After the lighting arrangements at Yakub Memon's grave were removed from Bada Qabrastan, Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ram Kadam asked if this was former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's patriotism to convert the grave of a terrorist into a "mazaar".
"The grave of terrorist Yakub Memon who executed the 1993 Bombay bombings at Pakistan's behest, was converted into a Mazar when Uddhav Thackeray was the Chief Minister. Is this his love for Mumbai, patriotism?" said BJP MLA Ram Kadam, seeking Mr Thackeray's apology.
He also sought an apology from National Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Memon was the lone convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case who was hanged.
On March 12, 1993, Mumbai (then Bombay) was rocked by a series of bomb blasts that killed 257 persons, injured more than 700 persons, and destroyed property worth approximately Rs 27 crore. The case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the request of the state government.
Several others convicted in the case includes Mustafa Dossa and Abu Salem. The attacks were allegedly planned by wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.