Eknath Shinde announces 42-metre statue of his mentor Anand Dighe in Thane

Thane: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who also heads the Shiv Sena, has announced that a 42-metre-tall statue of his mentor Anand Dighe would be installed in Thane city.

He made the announcement on Thursday during the ‘bhoomi pujan’ (ground breaking) ceremony for the renovation of the clock tower at Shivaji Maidan, where the statue will come up.

Shinde said the renovated premises would not just feature the massive statue but also various citizen-centric amenities.

Dighe, an immensely popular Shiv Sena leader from the Thane region, died from a heart attack following an accident in August 2001.

A budget of Rs 11 crore has already been approved for the work, Shinde said. “When it comes to Dighe Saheb, because of whose blessings I became the chief minister, there will never be any paucity of funds,” he added.