Shiv Sena to build memorial for freedom fighter Nana Patil

MUMBAI: Describing freedom fighter Nana Patil as a man who jolted the British rule in the country, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray today announced that his party will build a befitting memorial for the independence activist.

"When I accepted the invite to be a part of this event, someone asked me Nana Patil was a communist and Shiv Sena is against communists. I told him, yes, we are against communists. But, this man (Patil) understood that the British will not leave the country only by Swaraj and peaceful means and they need to be given a jolt, which he did," Uddhav said.

He was addressing a gathering here on the 115th birth anniversary of Patil, who was popularly known as 'Krantisinha' (revolutionary lion).

Thackeray further described Patil, who was a CPI MP from Satara, as a man who lived for the poor and dedicated his life for the country.

"I do not care if he was a communist. What is more important is that he was a freedom fighter. Today it is our government at the Centre and in the state. We also have hold over the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). We will construct a befitting memorial for Nanasaheb in Mumbai that will make the whole country proud," he said.

Patil was born on August 3, 1900, in Maharashtra's Sangli district. He was the founder of the revolutionary 'Prati-sarkar' movement.

He died on December 6, 1976.