Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, on Friday, visited party founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s under-construction memorial, which will witness the completion of the second and final phase before January 23, 2026.
Asked who would inaugurate the memorial next year, Thackeray wryly said the ceremony will be helmed by “whoever is the Prime Minister then”. “Can anyone predict what will happen in politics tomorrow?” he asked, giving a political twist to his visit. “If there is an NDA government, their representatives might come. Whoever is in power at that time will attend. I was the Chief Minister during the foundation stone ceremony, but now I am not,” he said about the fickle state of Maharashtra politics and voters’ will.
Shiv Sena-UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray On The Memorial
The memorial is being built at the previous Mayor’s Bungalow near Swatantryaveer Smarak in Dadar. Thackeray said, “Four Shiv Sena mayors have lived in this bungalow. Many important meetings of Balasaheb Thackeray were held here, including those of the Mahayuti alliance. This building is a heritage structure, and it was very challenging to carry out work without causing any damage to it. Preserving its grandeur was a very difficult task.”
As part of its second phase, artists will bring to life the party founder’s life story. “Often asked why he didn’t write an autobiography, Balasaheb said, ‘I am not a man of the closet; I am a man of the field.’ His life was like an open book. However, merely documenting his life is not what a memorial should be. I envisioned a memorial that reflects the values he upheld throughout his life; what he gave to Maharashtra, the nation, and the Hindus of this country. His memorial should continue to inspire and serve the same purpose for many years to come.”
