Despite pressure, Salisbury Park citizens stood up for protest

Chaitraly Deshmukh

Salisbury Park residents on Sunday March 28 held an agitation outside the garden in Salisbury Park which bears name of the BJP Corporator father’s name. The residents demanded that the PMC should remove the name given to the garden.

Over two decades the local residents who campaigned together to get 3.5 acres of land possession for the development of Salisbury park garden and it was only a few years ago that the citizens won the case.

Shrinath Bhimale who gave his father’s name to the garden is facing severe opposition from the locals who feel that Bhimale has cheated them and given the name without consulting them. The members of Salisbury Park Residents Forum gathered together to condemn this move taken by Shrinath Bhimale. The residents only demand is that the name should be removed and no political name should be given to the garden.

The residents also took over a signature campaign.

Speaking to Pune Pulse veteran journalist Vinita Deshmukh said, “We held a silent protest only to draw the PMC authorities attention. The residents stood outside the garden to protest with placards demanding removal of the name. Despite having permission we received calls from the police to stop the protest. We were told that Governor was coming and hence we couldn’t hold the protest. But governor was coming at 6 pm and our one hour protest was at 10 am. We know they are trying to curb our voice and use some pressure mechanism. We carried our protest peacefully and our aim is that the authorities should remove such boards.”