On October 30, 1996, Shiv Sena’s first ever Dussehra melava was organised at the Shivaji Park ground in Mumbai. People across Maharashtra had gathered at the venue, 56 years ago, to listen to party founder Bal Thackery’s speech. The ground was overwhelmed with Marathi people who cheered and applauded when Thackeray galvanised them to “reclaim their identities and their place in society.”
The announcement of the rally was made in Marmik, the weekly Marathi magazine founded by Thackeray, which focussed on problems such as unemployment among Marathi youth, which was considered to be ignored by the then government.
Talking about the first Dussehra melava, political analyst Prakash Akolkar told the Indian Express: “It was this first rally that played a major role in shaping the Sena’s future in Mumbai and Maharashtra and helped consolidate the party’s agenda of being the protector of ‘ignored’ Marathi maanus.”
“A number of women were also present in the crowd. At that time, it was quite out of the ordinary. Before the rally, Thackeray held several baithaks in Mumbai every day. He visited chawls and held baithaks in small rooms at the homes of his friends,” senior Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai said. “There was no police bandobast for the rally, and security was provided.”
Natonalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who once was a prominent leader in Shiv Sena, recalled his experience of attending the first Dussehra melava. “I was a student at VJTI in Mumbai when I found out about the rally. Without knowing anything, I decided to participate in it. I remember I had never seen such a large gathering before. So many people got together for Thackeray’s speech.”
This year, however, would be different. Shiv Sena would have two Dussehra melava, with Uddhav Thackeray’s melava to take place at Shivaji Park, while Shinde will address his followers at BKC grounds.
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