Mumbai : A photograph of Balasaheb Thackeray’s statue has gone viral on Whatsapp on Friday claiming that the 23 feet high statue is complete. But don’t be misled, the statue is yet to be completed and it is only a model of the real statue made of fibre. The actual statue will be made from bronze.
Sculpture artist Kedar Dahibawkar is making the 23 feet statue and it is a model of the statue. Actually the statue will be made of bronze and it will take another 2 to 4 months. Dahibawkar has his own workshop at Tardeo and he is making it there. The model statue is made of fiber and wax. The costume of the statue is like what the late Shiv Sena chief used to wear before going to address any rally.
A private firm – Courage Group – has given a contract to make the statue and as of today, it has nothing to do with the party.
The statue will be shifted for further work to Kolhapur next week. After three weeks, it will be brought back to the city and then it will be given its final makeup.
According to sources from Shiv Sena, Uddhav has seen the statue and he liked it. He clicked pictures with the statue. However, the space for the statue has not been finalised.
The Shiv Sena is likely to ask the state government to locate the proposed memorial of its founder, the late Balasaheb Thackeray, near the Mayor’s bungalow or in Shivaji Park area, which has a historical connection with the party, a source said.
Sena sources say that it will be installed in the premises of the mayor’s bungalow or at Shivaji Park, where the last rites of Sena chief were done.
While asked the Shiv Sena’s local corporator Arun Dudhwadkar, he refused to comment on the issue. However, he agreed that the statue is ready, but not said much more about it.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has set up a committee headed by Chief Secretary Swadheen Kshatriya to choose a site for the memorial. The committee shortlisted 5-6 sites. But nothing has been finalized yet.
Pandurang Mhaske
