Fishermen in Maharashtra protesting against a proposed Shivaji Maharaj memorial off Mumbai coast have decided to withdraw their agitation, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays the foundation stone.
"Fishermen have agreed to withdraw their agitation against Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial Bhoomipujan," a senior official said, after a meeting between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and fishermen association leaders here last night.
Fadnavis assured fishermen that the government will look into their concerns.
"At the meeting, it was decided to constitute a joint committee to resolve their issues. The CM thanked fishermen associations," the official said.
The main feature of the memorial will be a 192-metre-tall statue of the Maratha king. The site is a rocky outcrop roughly 1.5 km from the Raj Bhavan shore of Mumbai.
Members of Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti (AMMKS), an association of fishermen from Cuffe Parade, Machhimar Nagar, Geeta Nagar (near Navy Nagar), near Raj Bhawan and Backbay Parade, had said they will fly black flags on their boats and homes as a sign of protest.
Fisherwomen were to form a human chain from Nariman Point to Girgaum Chowpatty, holding black flags, ahead of Modi's arrival for the inauguration, said AMMKS leader Damodar Tandel.
The livelihood of 1.5 lakh fishermen residing across five villages in south Mumbai, who have 1,500 large boats and 450 small boats, will be affected by the construction, he had claimed.
When asked about the extravagant celebrations, Chavan
said, "The memorial is being constructed by the state government and not any private party. The BJP should not hijack the entire event as the state government is going to spend money for the memorial and not the BJP."
BJP, before it separated from Shiv Sena ahead of Assembly polls in 2014, had started a campaign with an appeal to voters to support Modi with blessings of Shivaji.
According to art director Nitin Desai, who is in charge of decoration, "There are some replica of Shivaji's naval strength floating on sea water near the island, where PM Modi will lay the foundation of the memorial. It is for creating the feel of Shivaji and his rule during 17th Century."
However, Prakash Akolkar, journalist and author of a book on Shiv Sena's journey, said, "Neither Sena nor BJP are serious about Shivaji and his legacy. Shivaji had some 300 major forts in Maharashtra, which was his strength. Not a single fort is maintained properly to show his true legacy."
In 2015, Modi had laid the foundation stone for construction of the memorial of dalit icon Babasaheb Ambedkar at Indu mill in Central Mumbai, apparently with an eye on Dalit votes ahead of Bihar elections.
However, after the foundation stone ceremony, no major development has taken place, he claimed.
"Similarly, ahead of the Mumbai municipal corporation polls (due early next year), the BJP is trying to woo the voters and keep the Maratha community appeased through such extravagant ceremony. It is hijacking of icons from other parties. The BJP has seen the major Maratha rallies across the state in last two months; hence they are alerted," Akolkar said.
The elections of BMC, Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and Nagpur municipal corporations are to be held in next two months, followed by Zilla parishad elections in some 20-odd districts.
