Bhai Jagtap, Mumbai Congress president has approached the Bombay High Court on Monday seeking that the Maharashtra government be directed to grant permission to the political party to hold the Congress rally at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai on December 28, which is the 137th foundation day of the Indian National Congress.
Pradeep Thorat, Jagtap’s advocate, mentioned the petition before a division bench of justices Amjad Sayed and Abhay Ahuja on Monday. The HC has kept the petition for hearing on Tuesday.
According to the petition, the party had submitted an application to the state government in October 2021 seeking permission to hold the rally in which Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will be holding public meetings.
However, the government has not taken any decision yet.
The Congress has sought permission to use the Shivaji Park ground from December 22 to December 28 for the purpose of holding a public meeting on the occasion of the 137th Foundation Day of the Indian National Congress Party.
Apart from granting permission to hold the public meeting, the political parry has also sought permission to erect a temporary stage on one portion of the Shivaji Park.
The plea claims that December 28 is a very important day in the history of Congress; it’s the party’s foundation day. The petition further said that it would adhere to all the norms prescribed by the civic authority and public health department.
In 2010, the HC, had declared the Shivaji Park area as a silence zone following a public interest litigation by an NGO ‘Wecom Trust’.
The court had then said that programmes can be held at the Park only on December 6 (death anniversary of Dr Ambedkar), May 1 (Maharashtra-state foundation day) and on January 26 (Republic Day).
However, the state government and BMC later carved out 45 days in a year to permit non-sporting activities in the ground.
The plea states that the BMC has submitted its report to the state government on its recommendation on whether or not the Congress rally could be held at Shivaji Park.
“Since, the state government is the competent authority, the final decision has to be taken by it (government). Out of the 45 days marked for non-sporting activities, 11 days are kept for miscellaneous activities,” said Thorat adding that the quota of 11 days is still pending for this year.
