Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed that his (Memon’s) grave has been beautified and efforts are on to convert it into a place of worship. Some BJP leaders in Maharashtra claimed that the tomb was converted into a mausoleum when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister.
Hitting out at the BJP, the Shiv Sena of the Uddhav Thackeray faction said, “The whole issue is an attempt to divert people’s attention from more important issues like rising inflation and unemployment.” Aaditya Thackeray, son of Uddhav Thackeray, said, before the elections, the BJP is trying to spoil the atmosphere.
Mumbai Police, who swung into action after the controversy erupted in Maharashtra, removed the LED lights installed around the grave of the terrorist. Halogen lights were installed in Bada graveyard on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat and have been removed by the trustees of the cemetery, a police official said. Marble tiles were installed around Memon’s tomb about three years ago. He said there are 13 other graves as well.
Police will investigate the beautification of the grave
Yakub Memon was hanged in Nagpur Jail in 2015 and was buried in South Mumbai’s Bada Cemetery. An official said that a police officer of the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) will investigate how the grave of a terrorist was installed with LED lights and decorated with marble tiles.
BJP demands apology from Sharad Pawar and Rahul Gandhi
BJP state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said Thackeray should apologize to the people of Mumbai and Maharashtra for trying to beautify the grave of the man responsible for killing 250 people. Another local BJP leader said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should also apologize over the matter.
