Shiv Sena brings up the issue of renaming Shivaji Park again

After a year since the name-changing issue of Shivaji Park to ‘Shiv Tirth', it seems that the Shiv Sena wants to keep the controversy alive till the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul Shewale, chairman of the civic standing committee, had proposed the renaming, after the death of Sena supremo, Bal Thackeray, in 2012. With the party at the final stages of proposing his name as its South Central Constituency candidate (where the park also falls under), Shewale wants to make the most of the issue.

The fact remains that similar proposal was rejected in 1987, when the Shiv Sena-BJP ruled the BMC. Dnyaneshwar Gawde, corporator from Sena party had moved the notice of motion to rename, which was discussed and cleared in April 1987. However, the proposal was rejected in the general body meeting in October.

After keeping the issue in cold storage for more than a year, the proposal has again been discussed and cleared on Friday at the civic head office during the group leaders' meeting. The proposal has been sent to the municipal commissioner for his remark.

While Sitaram Kunte was unavailable for comment, a senior official from the BMC said, "The commissioner will study the proposal and provide his remarks, in about 3-4 months."