Land given for Thackeray memorial valid, legal: BMC

late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray

The BMC on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that due process of law was followed before allotting land in central Mumbai to set up a memorial for the late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation also said the land was allotted at a "nominal" rate of Re 1 for a lease period of 30 years and that such allotments had been made in the past for setting up of memorials of revered persons.

The civic body filed its affidavit on Thursday before a bench of Chief Justice N H Patil and Justice N M Jamdar, in response to two petitions filed by activist Bhagwanji Rayani and NGO Jan Mukti Morcha, challenging the government's decision to convert the Mayor's bungalow in Shivaji Park into a memorial for the late Shiv Sena supremo. The petitions were filed in April 2017 when the government had proposed to set up the memorial.

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