Shiv Sena isolated over Shivaji Park renaming

After the Congress made it clear that its corporators would not support the Shiv Sena on the issue of changing the name of Shivaji Park to Shiv Tirth leaders of other opposition parties have also taken the same line Standing firm Shiv Sena workers guard the structure at the spot where party supremo Bal Thackeray was cremated in Shivaji Park the Dadar ground that the party now wants to be renamed Shiv Tirth A banner at the site announces Balasahebrsquos men will not allow the removal of even a brick from the structure PicDatta Kumbhar The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS the Nationalist Congress Party NCP and the Samajwadi Party have all opposed the renaming If after Bal Thackerayrsquos death there were rumours of the MNS and the Shiv Sena drawing closer to each other the strong antirenaming stand taken by the MNS has now put an end to all such speculation Despite the Shiv Sena putting forth the argument that Bal Thackeray always referred to Shivaji Park as Shiv Tirth in his speeches the renaming proposal has cut no ice with the opposition The idea has received a lot of resistance from almost all quarters Even Shiv Sena ally Bharatiya Janata Party BJP has not come forward to show any kind of support for the renaming Shivaji Park has been a hot topic of discussion since the Shiv Sena chiefrsquos funeral on the ground in Dadar last month mdash if initially it was a debate over creating a memorial to the departed leader at the cremation spot now it is the renaming demand Senarsquos majority card The Shiv Sena is firm on its stand as it is sure that on the basis of the majority it enjoys in the civic house it will be able to rename the ground in spite of the oppositionu00a0 The party sees the change of name to Shiv Tirth as a prestige issue as it was something even Bal Thackeray had wanted ldquoIn spite of the opposition with the help of a majority vote we will pass the renaming proposal that the BMC has received in one of the coming General Body meetingsrdquo Mayor Sunil Prabhu said MNS threatens stir With the MNS also not willing to budge from its position the issue now threatens to spill out of the BMC and on to the streets as the party has stated it will hold rallies and agitations to preserve Shivaji Parkrsquos ldquoproud identityrdquo ldquoWe wonrsquot let this renaming happen and will fight till the end on this matter and if need be we will even get out on roads and hold morchas to stop thisrdquo MNS group leader Dilip Lande said ldquoOn May 8 2008 the corporation had passed a resolution saying nonIndian names can be changed whereas Indian names cannot be changed Isnrsquot Shivaji an Indian Then why the renamingrdquo Samajwadi Party group leader Rais Shaikh said the issue was needlessly being raked up when there were many more important matters to be discussed ldquoThis is not an issue of such great importance that it needs to be discussed and there are many more important things the corporation needs to decide onrdquo Shaikh said ldquoWe will do everything legally and we donrsquot support this proposal at allrdquo BJP group leader Dilip Patel was noncommittal on the issue ldquoWe will discuss this issue with our senior leaders and then decide whether to support the renaming or notrdquo Patel saidu00a0