In a major feat for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction in Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court gave its nod to the leaders to hold their Dussehra rally in the iconic Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai on October 5.
A division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and Kamal Khata allowed the petition filed by the Thackeray-led Sena faction and its secretary Anil Desai challenging the Mumbai civic body's order refusing them permission, as per PTI reports.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) order was a "clear abuse of process of law and bonafide," said the court. The bench allowed the Thackeray-led party to use the ground from October 2 to October 6 while asking it to maintain law and order.
This comes after both the factions of the Shiv Sena – one led by Uddhav Thackeray and one led by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde – filed pleas seeking permission to hold the Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park, as per media reports.
The pleas filed by the Shiv Sena factions turned out to become a competition about “who is the real Shiv Sena”, with ultimately the permissions being granted to Uddhav Thackeray’s faction on Friday. Welcoming the decision, party spokesperson Manisha Kayande said this year's rally will be grand.
“Our faith in the judiciary stands vindicated. For the last many years, the Dussehra rally has been taking place at ‘Shiv-tirtha' (as the Sena refers to Shivaji Park), but this time attempt was made through the Shinde faction and BJP to create obstacles. Thankfully, the court rejected it,” said Sena secretary Vinayak Raut.
The Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde too had applied for permission to hold its rally at Shivaji Park on the same day (October 5). The BMC denied permission to both the factions, citing a police report that granting permission to any one faction will lead to law and order problems.
(With PTI inputs)
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