Upping the ante on his party’s Hindutva agenda, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray opposed the curbs on public celebration of Ganesh festival due to localities being covered under silent zones, which imposes restrictions on the use of loudspeakers in festivities.
Taking up cudgels for the powerful Ganesh mandals, he demanded that the state approve a law to ensure that establishments like hospitals did not come up around places where these festivals were celebrated to prevent such silence zones from being imposed.
“There must be a permanent solution. The Shiv Sena is in favour of the Ganesh utsav being celebrated,” said Uddhav, adding that “festivals were being celebrated before laws were passed.”
He was speaking to the media at the inauguration of the party’s new office opposite Mantralaya.
“The Shiv Sena chief (late Bal Thackeray) always said laws are for the people and not vice-versa,” said Uddhav, adding that after buildings like hospitals came up, silence zones restrictions were imposed.
“Once these silence zones come into effect, there are restrictions on festivities. There must be a law to prevent such buildings where the festivals are being celebrated,” he demanded, adding that if a solution was not arrived at in a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Sena would celebrate the Ganesh festival with aplomb.
Uddhav questioned the lack of action against loudspeakers put up on masjids.
The Shiv Sena president also struck a discordant note over the state cabinet’s decision to allow the direct election of sarpanch (village heads) by the voters. Uddhav noted that while this had been done for municipal councils, it had led to problems where the council chief belonged to a party which did not have a majority in the civic house and suggested that similarly, the chief minister could be elected directly by the people.
“This sounds strange, what is the harm in checking it,” said Uddhav, when asked about 813 farmers from Mumbai being covered in the state government’s farm loan waiver package.
