Statue unveiling: Citizens demand grand celebration

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Feb 16

Either the time of the inauguration (midnight) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue be changed or people be allowed to operate loudspeakers even after 10 pm, Jilha Shivjayanti Mahotsav president Abhijeet Deshmukh and former president Vinod Patil demanded at a media conference here on Wednesday.

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had announced that the statue of Shivaji Maharaj at Kranti Chowk would be inaugurated on February 18 midnight. However, as per the Supreme Court orders, people will not be allowed to use loudspeakers after 10 pm. Citizens, who were eagerly waiting for this moment, wish that the inauguration should be done in a grand manner. So, either the timing of the inauguration be changed or permission be granted to use loudspeakers even after 10 pm, Patil said.

"Elections are allowed despite coronavirus restrictions, but guidelines have been imposed for Shiv Jayanti celebrations. Also, the local administration has refused permission for a vehicle rally to be organised by the Maratha Kranti Morcha," he said. He also appealed that Shiv Jayanti should be celebrated only once and not on two occasions.

The Jilha Shivjayanti Mahotsav demanded that the government should consider it as a special occasion and grant permission by issuing a notification that the celebration will be allowed for the whole night on February 18.

Raju Shinde, Manoj Patil, Chandrakant Bharat, Suresh Wakale, Manoj Gaike, Sumit Khambekar, Rajgaurav Wankhede, Appsaheb Kudhekar and others were present at the media briefing.