Mumbai:
Since Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray died last month, his party has refused to dismantle the structure set up for his cremation at a large public park in Mumbai.
The government and local officials, who had permitted a temporary structure, have been asking the Sena to remove what has been converted into a makeshift memorial with posters paying homage to Mr Thackeray, and garlands draped around a series of his photos.
Earlier this week, a local government office was attacked allegedly in retaliation by the Sena, whose members have been guarding the platform where his funeral pyre was erected.
But now, there appears to be a hint of a compromise.
In its mouthpiece, Saamna, the party has suggested that its own workers could dismantle the plinth where Mr Thackeray was cremated, and move it to a new location just a few feet away. "The stance of the Shiv Sena on the 'samadhi sthal' (memorial) has always been that of restraint," Mr Thackeray's son, Uddhav, said.
The government had allowed Mr Thackeray's cremation to be held at Shivaji Park to accommodate lakhs of supporters.
But since then, his party has virtually laid siege to the spot where he was cremated, challenging the authorities to try and remove the structure.
Additional complications lie in the fact that the Sena controls the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Last week, the corporation wrote to the Shiv Sena saying that the raised platform and barricades put up at Shivaji Park were illegal and should be removed immediately. Reacting to this, the Mayor of Mumbai, Sunil Prabhu, who is also from the Sena, suggested that other illeal structures be removed first.
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan had said "Shivaji Park was given for Bal Thackeray's cremation on the grounds that it will be returned in the same condition. We want the Shiv Sena to abide by the conditions and follow the law."
The civic authorities are handing over Shivaji Park to the Armed forces today for rehearsals for Vijay Divas, celebrated on December 16 to mark India's victory in the 1971 war with Pakistan. However when Major General Rajesh Bawa, General Officer Commanding, Mumbai Sub Area, Mumbai, was asked about the unavailability of the entire park for the celebrations, he said, "We are happy with what we have. We have to live with what is available until the political problem is solved."