No permission to Sena's Dussehra rally in Mumbai

With the Bombay high court declaring the Shivaji Park ground as silence zone, the city police has refused permission to Shiv Sena to hold Dussehra rally here, for the first time in over four decades.

"The HC has declared Shivaji Park ground as a silence zone. No rallies will be allowed here. Shiv Sena had approached us for permission to hold a rally on Dussehra in October this year but we have not given permission in keeping with the HC order," Madhukar Sankhe, Assistant Police Commissioner told PTI.

The over 40-year-old party has been holding rallies every year on Dussehra at Shivaji Park where party chief Bal Thackeray addressed party workers.

In 2006, the party had called off the Dussehra rally, its the biggest annual event, because of heavy rains.

Shiv Sena, which planned a grand display of power during its Dussehra rally, has decided to approach the high court seeking permission for holding it.

"Dussehra rally is going on for the last 45 years. We will approach high court seeking permission for the same. It is not a political rally but it is a rally that showcases Maharashtra's culture," party MP Sanjay Raut said.

The high court issued the order a few months ago following a PIL arguing that since there were several educational institutes, religious places and hospitals within a radius of 100 metres from Shivaji Park, the place should be declared as silence zone.