Raj Thackeray: ‘Impossible to build Chhatrapati’s Arabian Sea memorial off Mumbai’

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray has said that it would be difficult and prohibitively expensive to build the proposed grand memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea off Mumbai, here on Saturday.

The monument proposal was first mooted 20 years (2004) ago by the then Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government, then carried forward by subsequent regimes of Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena, the MVA administration of Shiv Sena (UBT)-Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP), and still remains a ‘live issue’ under the present Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP rule.

The project was expected to kick off in a big way after Prime Minister Narendra Modi went in a motorboat and performed the ‘Jal Pooja’ at the proposed site, 1.5 kms opposite the Marine Drive sea-face on December 24, 2016.

Raj Thackeray categorically said that irrespective of the promises all these governments have made, “It is impossible and impractical to build the memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the sea off Mumbai.”

Pooh-poohing claims that the statue would be taller than the Statue of Liberty (Oct. 1886) off New York harbor, Raj Thackeray said that it is built on a tiny rocky island which is firmly entrenched on the sea-bed.

“Here, there is no such thing. The government will have to create an artificial islet with materials. At today’s rate, I can say that it will cost at least Rs 25,000-30,000 crore. It's simply not possible to build the statue there,” affirmed Raj Thackeray, reiterating his statement made eight years ago.

He questioned the need to spend so much money, “when the real legacy is the majestic forts built by the Chhatrapati, why not revamp them”, and asked whether we want to bequeath the future generations a statue in the sea.

Raj Thackeray’s strong remarks came on the 18th foundation day of the MNS celebrated at Nashik with great fanfare.

The MNS chief also frowned at the manner in which society is being divided on ‘caste lines’ with promises being doled out that can't be fulfilled, as in the case of the Maratha community.

“When I met (Shivba Sanghatana leader) Manoj Jarange-Patil, I bluntly told him that what (quota) he was seeking is out of the question, owing to various reasons like the Parliament, Supreme Court, etc., and giving it to one community will lead to similar flare-ups of different groups from all over India,” warned Raj Thackeray.

The estranged cousin of Shiv Sena (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray, he said that “we have to build a new Maharashtra which has no place for the poison of divisions based on caste, community” and called upon the MNS activists to shun such practices always.

“Don’t get misled. They are doling out assurances on things like quotas that cannot be given but ignoring the real issues like education for the masses and jobs for the youth. It's possible to provide education and jobs to all the people here, but the Marathis are never united, so they are exploited, their votes get divided and they resort to toxic castes-linked politics,” thundered Raj Thackeray.

Answering a nagging doubt of many people why the party has not made it big in terms of capturing power, the MNS sagely pointed out that in order to succeed in politics, patience is needed and vowed that “I will give you success (power).”

He cited the examples of the Jan Sangh, then the BJP which worked for many decades before it finally tasted power under Atal Bihari Vajpayee who became PM for 13 days, then 13 months, and then a full five-year term; followed by PM Modi’s government which has lasted 10 years since 2014.

Raj Thackeray claimed that since Independence, Maharashtra has seen only three real grassroots-level parties – the Jan Sangh, then Shiv Sena founded by his uncle Balasaheb Thackeray and then his MNS.

“Despite seeing so many ups and downs – mostly downs – all of you have stood behind me solidly… I promise that we will succeed. Wherever I go, people stop and tell me that they have faith only in me now. Please have patience,” contended Raj Thackeray.

Raj Thackeray also took a swipe at the media for alleging that he left agitations ‘midway’, and countered by listing all his crusades that were completed till the logical end, and said that he would do many more things at one shot after coming to power.

He announced that he will give many more pieces of his mind at the upcoming mega-rally in Mumbai on April 9, marking Gudi Padva, the Maharashtrian New Year.