7.4 L suggestions & objections brought in boxes

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: More than 4.3 lakh suggestions were filed in support of the city’s renaming while 2.73 lakh objections were submitted against the renaming.

The Government renamed Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities as ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv’ respectively, last month.

However, when there was a hue and cry over the renaming, the Government was allowed to submit objections and suggestions to the office of the divisional commissioner up to March 27.

The leaders and supporters of both sides who geared up to fight a legal battle claimed that each of them had submitted over 5 lakh application forms.

More than 7.4 lakh forms in support and against the renaming were filed. Of them, 4.3 lakh forms are in support of the renaming while 2.73 lakh objections are against it.

Similarly, 28,614 objections were submitted against the renaming of Dharashiv. Tehsildar (divisional administration) Narendra Kulkarni said that there is a possibility of change in the figures of objections and suggestions which

were brought in cars, tempos, auto rickshaws for the submission.

Members of BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde Group), Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and other Hindu organisations and Aurangabad Namantar Virodhi Kriti Samiti filed objections and suggestions until the last day.

The supporters of both groups demonstrated strength and this created tension at the inward-outward section of the divisional commissioner’s office on Monday.

The additional police force was deployed in the office premises as part of precautionary measures. Tehsildar Kulkarni announced closing the gates of the office at 6.15 pm but people did not leave the premises. The citizens were driven out of the premises in police bandobast.

The officers said the forms which suggest new names to the cities will be excluded from it.

They said that all the information about the objections would be sent to the State Government. They also said that the forms filed in support of the renaming were accepted as suggestions. BJP brought bunches of suggestions through a rally to the divisional commissioner’s office.

BJP city unit president Shirish Boralkar, its State unit general secretary Sanjay Kenekar, Harshavardhan Karad, Laxmikant Thete along with Lata Dalal, Amruta Palodkar, Manisha Munde, Jalinder Shendge and others submitted the bunches of the forms at the inward and outward section. Sena district chief Rajendra Janjal, Shilparani Wadkar, MNS district chief Submit Khambekar and others also were present.

Shirish Boralkar said that they supported the call that was given by Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb for renaming the city as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and submitted the forms.

“Unfortunately, no one from Uddhav Thackeray-led Sen group came forward. People have come to know about their stand,” he said.

Sanjay Kenekar said that it seems that the Uddhav Thackeray group has accepted the ideology of Congress and NCP.

Janjal said that the people should ask Uddhav Thackeray group candidates about the proof of support for the city’s renaming and then vote for them.

Thackeray Group leader Chandrakant Khaire said that the Government had just sought objections, so, those who support the renaming should not submit anything Despite this, Kishanchand Tanwani sent 9,000 postcards in support of the renaming to the divisional commissioner.

Box

Slogans raised

Members of BJP and other organisations raised slogans like ‘Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Jai Shriram’ while making entry to the divisional commissioner's office.

Leaders of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul made a complaint with the divisional commissioner Sunil Kendrekar. No raised slogans while filing objections for a month peacefully. Later, Namantar Virodhi Kriti Samit members also raised slogans like ‘Jab Tak Suraj Chand Rahenga, Aurangabad Naam Rahenga’ while submitting bunches of objections.