Yakub Memon grave ‘beautification’ row: Probe launched; BJP, Uddhav Thackeray faction trade barbs

The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) launched a series of attacks on the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction over claims of the “beautification” of Yakub Memon’s grave, who was the convict in the deadly 1993 Mumbai blasts.

The BJP has claimed that the beautification of the grave has been done to make a shrine for Yakub Memon, who was responsible for claiming hundreds of lives through the serial blasts in Mumbai which occurred nearly three decades ago.

BJP, which now remains in power in Maharashtra, has also said that Memon's grave was "beautified" during Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's tenure as Maharashtra chief minister and sought his apology over it.

However, the Sena leaders maintained that the party and the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had nothing to do with it and that it was being dragged into the issue unnecessarily.

The row over the beautification of the Mumbai blast convict erupted with LED lights put around his grave, with Mumbai police jumping into action and launching a probe in the case. A DCP-level police officer will probe how the LED lights and marble tiles came to "adorn" the terror convict's grave, an official said.

Denying the claims put forth by the BJP, the Shiv Sena said the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led government had nothing to do with the beautification of the grave of Memon, who was hanged on July 30, 2015, for his role in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts.

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Rawat said, “Why drag the Shiv Sena into this issue? This is nothing but an attempt to divert people's attention from serious issues facing the country. It is also an attempt to create communal tension in the society.”

A police official said halogen lights were installed in the Bada Qabrastan on the occasion of Badi Raat (Shab-e-Barat), which has been removed by the Qabrastan trustees. Shab-e-Barat is a major celebration for the Muslim community is also known as the night of fortune and forgiveness.

Further, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray attacked BJP, accusing the party of trying to disrupt peace ahead of the civic polls in Mumbai by creating a controversy over the grave of Memon.

(With PTI inputs)

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