Aaditya Thackeray (File)DAYS AFTER the controversy over naming a sports complex after Mysore king Tipu Sultan, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday alleged that a heritage playground in Worli, named after Mahatma Gandhi, lacked his nameplate.
The party has accused Shiv Sena minister Aaditya Thackeray, who is also MLA from Worli, of forgetting to mention the Mahatma’s name while inaugurating the beautified ground recently.
The beautification of a playground surrounded by BDD chawls in Worli, formally named Mahatma Gandhi Maidan but popularly known as Jamboree Maidan, was recently completed. Mahatma Gandhi had visited it during the freedom struggle and after Independence, it was named after him. On January 24, state environment minister
Aaditya Thackeray inaugurated the ground.
BJP corporator Prabhakar Shinde on Friday wrote to Thackeray and the municipal commissioner, threatening that the party will hold protests if the nameplate mentioning Mahatma Gandhi’s name is not put outside the ground as soon as possible.
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Taking a dig at Sena, Shinde said while the party was prompt in naming a sports complex in Malad after Tipu Sultan illegally, they forgot to put an official nameplate of the Father of the Nation.
“It is surprising that the beautified ground was inaugurated by the state minister and the Mayor without putting a nameplate of Gandhi ji. Even Thackeray in his tweet did not mention the formal name and referred to it as Jambori maidan,” said Shinde.
He added, “If Mahatma Gandhi’s nameplate is not being put up in the next 10 days then BJP will hold a protest in Gandhigiri style.”
Shinde also raised the issue in the standing committee meeting, demanding answers from Sena and administration. The BJP shared video and photos of the ground which showed that there was no nameplate at the entrance of the ground.
Following this, standing committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav has sought information from civic administration over the controversy.
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