The Raj Thackeray-led MNS has applied to the state government seeking permission for using the grounds on these two days.
The rivalry between the estranged Thackeray cousins is all set to spill into the festive and cultural arena as well. While the Shiv Sena has managed to secure the Shivaji Park grounds for its annual Dusshera rally, the MNS is pitching its case for using the park located at Dadar for celebrating the traditional Maharashtrian festival of Gudi Padwa and the Marathi Bhasha day (which falls on February 27).
The Raj Thackeray-led MNS has applied to the state government seeking permission for using the grounds on these two days.
The Shiv Sena was founded in 1966 at party supremo Bal Thackeray's then Ranade road residence located a stone's throw from the Shivaji Park and the party held its first public meeting on the ground. Thackeray had addressed several public meetings there, including the annual Dusshera rallies, a convention continued by son and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, who this year attacked the BJP in the rally, yet stopped short of withdrawing from the government.
However, after Shivaji Park was declared as a silence zone in 2010 based on a PIL by the WECOM trust, Shiv Sena has had to move the courts to seek permission for the Dusshera melawa. The Sena has, however, secured a respite of sorts after the BJP-Sena led state government decided to make the ground available to it under section 37 (A) of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act, 1966.
The state government is also required to notify 45 days available to the people for use of Shivaji Park for non-sporting activity, up from the 30 days earlier.
So far, the ground has been allowed for use by Balmohan school (January 14 and 15), 10 days for January 26 (Republic Day) celebration, five days each for Maharashtra Day (May 1) and August 15 (Independence Day) celebration, Ganesh visarjan (three days), seven days for Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's Mahaparinirvan day in December and two days for Shiv Sena's Dusshera melawa.
For the remaining 11 days (out of total 45 days), the state had invited applications for the use of the ground, and accordingly, the MNS has sought the use of Shivaji Park for two days on Marathi Bhasha Day and Gudi Padwa (April 8).
Former MNS legislator and general secretary Nitin Sardesai said: "The high court has changed its previous stance and this is welcome. The Dusshera rally at Shivaji Park was given consent and hence, we were also attempting this. We are not opposed to the Dusshera rally but our only question was if Shiv Sena is getting the Shivaji Park ground, then why not us? In Maharashtra's social life, Gudi Padwa and Marathi Bhasha day have cultural importance and hence, we expect that the consent will come through."
Incidentally, the MNS had earlier attacked the state government for consenting to Shiv Sena's demand for the ground to hold their rallies while denying their (MNS) request for the same.
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