MIM opposes Munde memorial

Aurangabad: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) plans to oppose setting up of a memorial in the name of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde on government-owned land, a party MLA said on Friday.

AIMIM's MLA Imtiaz Jaleel said here that if BJP leaders wish to build a memorial to Munde, they should purchase private land and not use government land which is worth crores of rupees.

He said the Maharashtra government has decided to give away two acres of prime land belonging to the government milk scheme on Kranti Chowk-Jalna main road to construct the memorial.

He said that though there is no doubt that Munde was a senior BJP leader with a huge following, whose accidental death is a tragic loss to the state, the BJP and his followers should contribute money to purchase private land to construct a memorial in his name.

"If Munde's followers across Maharashtra decide to contribute money, then they can purchase land and construct the memorial. The government could also give funds to build the memorial but prime government land cannot be used to build memorials. If the BJP really wishes to pay homage to their leader they may construct a massive hospital for the poor, which even Munde would have approved, rather than a memorial," Jaleel said.

He also raised objections in the Maharashtra assembly against building memorials in the name of any leader from any political party. He had stated in the assembly that at a time when there are many poor people who do not get proper medical treatment, how could the government spend so much public money on unnecessary proposals.