Shiv Sena wants Bombay HC renamed, land for Bhasha Bhavan

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena presented what it calls its ‘Marathi agenda’ in the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday when transport minister Diwakar Raote asked chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to change the name of the Bombay high court to the Mumbai high court. He also said that Bombay Gymkhana land must be allocated to the Marathi Bhasha Bhavan. Mr Fadnavis assured the Sena ministers that he would look into their demands.

After the Shiv Sena declared that it would go solo in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, ministers have been aggressively raising a number of issues in the Cabinet meeting. Mr Raote said, “This issue is concerned with the Central government, which is under the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) leadership. So Mr Fadnavis can resolve this issue.”

Many IAS officers and dignitaries are members of the Bombay Gymkhana, whose land lease has expired. So, Mr Fadnavis offered two options for Marathi Bhasha Bhavan to be set up: Rang Bhavan, which is located near Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, or a plot of land in Navi Mumbai. However, Mr Raote rejected both options. He said in the meeting, “Land was given for other languages in Mumbai. Why is no land available in the city for Marathi? Rang Bhavan is an odd place and the gymkhana, which is also close to CST, is more suitable.”