Shivsainiks gathered at late Balasaheb Thackerays first death annivsary at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Sunday (PTI Photo)
On a day when thousands of Shiv Sainiks turned up at the memorial for Bal Thackeray at Shivaji Park, opened to the public for the first time today on the late leader's first death anniversary, his estranged son Jaidev Thackeray said, "There is no need for a statue or memorial to be built at Shivaji Park and its status as a play-cum-recreation ground should remain undisturbed. Those Shiv Sena leaders who have made it big in the party should contribute money and buy land somewhere in the city for the statue or memorial. They can even construct it in the mayor's bungalow compound. Why should it be constructed at Shivaji Park?"
Jaidev also said that Mahalaxmi Racecourse should not be touched as there are very few open spaces in the city.
The memorial is a garden with a huge portrait of Bal Thackeray. It has come up on the fringes of Shivaji Park which is a ground that has produced many great cricketers including Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claims the garden has been built without cement or concrete as per Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) norms. Bal Thackeray was cremated at the ground last year.
The garden, measuring 40 by 20 feet will have a metal fencing with flowering plants which will be replaced seasonally. The BMC has spent Rs 11 lakh on the memorial and will spend Rs 3.59 lakh every year for its maintenance.
BJP's LK Advani and Gopinath Munde, NCP's Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Supriya Sule and Chhagan Bhujbal, visited the memorial. Former Maharashtra Chief minister Manohar Joshi, who was booed off the state during the Sena's Dusshera rally for criticizing Uddhav's leadership, was also at Shivaji Park today. He was seen chatting with Uddhav and his family. Industrialists Rahul Bajaj and Venugopal Dhoot were also present. Uddhav's cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray did not make an appearance, even though he stays right opposite Shivaji Park. He had attended the funeral last year.