BMC has 2 days to restore memorial

BMC has 2 days to restore memorial

The civic body has take it upon itself to restore the Amar Jawan Jyot Smarak, which was vandalised in the Saturday’s riots, by August 15. While civic officials confirmed on Monday that the restoration work had already begun, additional municipal commissioner Mohan Adtani said, “We will make a special case to carry out the restoration work without the tendering process and will try to complete it before the Independence Day.” During a visit to the smarak on Monday, mayor Sunil Prabhu, who was accompanied by Adtani and other BMC leaders, said, “I condemn the attack as it was built in memory of two jawans martyred for the country in 1857. It is a shameful act which we will try and undo by August 15.” The riots saw protesters attacking the rifle and helmet of the smarak built in memory of two jawans—Mangal Gadiya and Sayyed Hussein, both martyred in the 1857 revolt, when the Britishers shot them with a cannon at Azad Maidan. A symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity, it was built in 2009 and the then MP Bharatkumar Raut had given Rs25 lakh for it. Stating that it would cost the civic body nearly Rs2 lakh to bring back the smarak’s glory, Adtani said, “Under normal circumstances, we would have required 7-8 days to procure the rifle as we need to check its availability. Still, we will fast-track the process.”