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Devendra Fadnavis will be the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra. With this announcement, Azad Maidan in Mumbai has been transformed into a cantonment. The Mahayuti alliance government will take oath here on Thursday, December 5 at 5 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Ministers of NDA-ruled states and many prominent leaders will be present at the swearing-in ceremony. Azad Maidan in Maharashtra is historic in many ways. It has been recorded in history for cricket, political rallies and protest meetings.
Azad Maidan has seen Bombay transform into Mumbai. It has been a witness to the freedom struggle. Many important meetings of Mahatma Gandhi were held here. Azad Maidan has also been a witness to the 1987 Harris Shield school match, in which Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli made a huge partnership of 664 runs, which was recorded in the record books.
Special for both Hindus and Muslims, connection with Bapu
Azad Maidan is also the venue of Ramlila in Mumbai. Every year the Sunni annual Ijtema is organized at Azad Maidan. The Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial, dedicated to the fighters of the First War of Independence of 1857, is also located outside Azad Maidan. In 1930, Azad Maidan was also the centre of the Civil Disobedience Movement in Bombay.
When Mahatma Gandhi was arrested in May 1930, protests began in the city and mass rallies were held at many places including Azad Maidan. When Gandhi was released on January 25, 1931, he toured the city. Huge crowds welcomed him. A public meeting was called at Azad Maidan on January 26, 1931, as it was the first year after the declaration of Purna Swaraj.
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Azad Maidan on Thursday at 5 pm. Photo: PTI
Mahatma Gandhi had to cancel the meeting
More than two lakh workers, women and students attended. When Mahatma Gandhi reached the stage to deliver his speech, the crowd became so huge that there was a stampede and the meeting had to be cancelled. In March 1931, Bapu returned to Mumbai and another public meeting was organised at Gandhi Maidan. Despite security, as soon as Bapu started speaking, the crowd became so excited that the meeting was cancelled again, as it had happened before. Thus Azad Maidan remained an important centre of activism throughout the freedom struggle.
Preparations underway
When a record was made among historical buildings
Opposite Azad Maidan is the historic and iconic Bombay Gymkhana, which had the honour of hosting India’s first Test match in December 1933, when the team was captained by Colonel CK Naidu. This is the second swearing-in ceremony at this ground. In November 2004, Congress stalwart Vilasrao Deshmukh took oath as chief minister for the second time at Azad Maidan. The place is also special because it is near three iconic buildings Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Esplanade Court i.e. Killa Court and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters.
The Sunni annual Ijtema was held here in November this year.
Azad Maidan has also witnessed major protests like the farmers’ march from Nashik in 2018 to the agitation in 2021. Recently, lakhs of people gathered at Azad Maidan to participate in the 32nd annual Sunni Ijtema between November 29 and December 1. There have been many occasions when the largely peaceful protests going on at this ground took a violent turn.
