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Hand over mill land by Dec 6 for Ambedkar memorial: Congress

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Press Trust of India Mumbai

State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre made the demand to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan after a function organised at Gandhi Bhawan here to mark the "Samvidhan Din" (the day when the Constitution was adopted in 1949).

"The Chief Minister has responded positively to the demand," an MPCC spokesperson said.

"Thakre told Chavan that December 6 is the death anniversary of Ambedkar and it would be appropriate if the land for the memorial is handed over by then," the spokesperson said.

The MPCC demand comes in the backdrop of a raging debate over the site for Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's memorial.

 

After Maharashtra Navnirman Sena suggested that it be located on the Indu Mill land, Dalit leaders threatened to forcibly take possession of the land if it was not released by December 6 for a memorial to the architect of India's Constitution.

The land in Dadar, Central Mumbai, belongs to the National Textile Corporation.

Last week, corporators from Congress and Raj Thackeray -led MNS had suggested that a memorial to late Sena patriarch be constructed on the Indu Mills land.

The Centre has given in-principle approval for transfer of the land, once owned by now defunct Indu Mill, for building the Dalit icon's memorial.

  

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First Published: Nov 26 2012 | 9:45 PM IST

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