MUMBAI, January 28: Quite birthdays maybe in for the Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray but this would not be true for the `Dharmaveer' - Anand Dighe, Thane based Sena leader. On Tuesday, thousands of Shiv Sainiks from as far as Karjat, Kasara and Dahanu thronged to Tembhi Naka, Thane to attend Dighe's birthday celebration.Lavish arrangements were made by Ulhasnagar Mayor Ganesh Chaudhary for the birthday bash which included an oil painting exhibition, a tulabhara with panchamrut (mixture of ghee, milk, yogurt, honey and sugar). Besides, the roads from Tembhi Naka to the Civil Hospital were lighted.
There were two birthday cakes each weighing 46 kg - one in shape of a Maratha fort and the other depicting the Konkan Railway route, right down to the minutest details. Traffic had to diverted from an alternative route as people who had come to greet Dighe were seen standing in a kilometre long queue with their vehicles parked bumper to bumper all the way from Chintamani's showroom. About three publicationsdedicated to Dighe were being sold alongside the pavements with photographs, calendars, key-chains and rings bearing his picture. Both corporators and administrative officials from Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Mira-Bhayander Municipal Council and the Thane Municipal Corporation were seen making desperate attempts to get noticed.
Arrangements for the tulabhara were made in separate pandal. Soon after the tulabhara and the cutting of the mammoth cakes, Dighe gifted five handicaps with tri-cycles. Coming as it does at a time when the Sena leadership is projecting Anant Tare as foil to Dighe's increasing clout, this show of strength should send clear signals about who calls the shots in and around Thane, say well-placed sources.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
