<p>Nearly 25 years after Michael Jackson, the ‘King of Pop’, enthralled Mumbai, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi on Wednesday reinstated a tax waiver granted to the musical concert.</p>.<p>Michael Jackson performed in Mumbai on November 1, 1996, and during the tour, he had also visited Matoshree and met Shiv Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackeray.</p>.<p>The concert was organised by Shiv Udyog Sena then led by Raj Thackeray.</p>.<p>Raj, who has now left the Shiv Sena and floated Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is Uddhav’s cousin.</p>.<p>The then Shiv Sena-BJP government — led by then Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and Deputy Chief Minister late Gopinath Munde — had granted a waiver of Rs 3.36 crore in entertainment duty to Wizcraft Entertainment Agency Pvt Ltd, the event management company.</p>.<p>The waiver was granted as the state government had decided to use the funds collected for charity purposes.</p>.<p>However, the waiver amount was deposited in the court’s treasury after it was challenged in the Bombay High Court by the Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, a prominent consumers’ forum.</p>.<p>In 2011, the Bombay High Court had referred the matter back to the government for consideration citing "non-application of mind".</p>.<p>Using discretionary powers under Section 6(3) of the Maharashtra Entertainment Duty Act, 1923, the government decided to give the waiver – as done by the previous Sena-BJP government.</p>.<p>The decision was taken at the weekly Cabinet meeting presided over by Thackeray.</p>.<p>The visit had gained wide media attention. When he had landed on 30 October at the Mumbai airport, actor Sonali Bendre, who wore a ‘nauvari’ saree, welcomed the popstar and applied ‘tilak’ on his head and performed ‘aarti’.</p>.<p>The Thackerays had presented the star a ‘tabla’ and ‘tanpura’ after he visited their Bandra bungalow.</p>.<p>The concert was held at the Andheri Sports Complex.</p>.<p>During the visit, he had also enjoyed Indian cuisine and even mingled with fans.</p>
<p>Nearly 25 years after Michael Jackson, the ‘King of Pop’, enthralled Mumbai, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi on Wednesday reinstated a tax waiver granted to the musical concert.</p>.<p>Michael Jackson performed in Mumbai on November 1, 1996, and during the tour, he had also visited Matoshree and met Shiv Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackeray.</p>.<p>The concert was organised by Shiv Udyog Sena then led by Raj Thackeray.</p>.<p>Raj, who has now left the Shiv Sena and floated Maharashtra Navnirman Sena is Uddhav’s cousin.</p>.<p>The then Shiv Sena-BJP government — led by then Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and Deputy Chief Minister late Gopinath Munde — had granted a waiver of Rs 3.36 crore in entertainment duty to Wizcraft Entertainment Agency Pvt Ltd, the event management company.</p>.<p>The waiver was granted as the state government had decided to use the funds collected for charity purposes.</p>.<p>However, the waiver amount was deposited in the court’s treasury after it was challenged in the Bombay High Court by the Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, a prominent consumers’ forum.</p>.<p>In 2011, the Bombay High Court had referred the matter back to the government for consideration citing "non-application of mind".</p>.<p>Using discretionary powers under Section 6(3) of the Maharashtra Entertainment Duty Act, 1923, the government decided to give the waiver – as done by the previous Sena-BJP government.</p>.<p>The decision was taken at the weekly Cabinet meeting presided over by Thackeray.</p>.<p>The visit had gained wide media attention. When he had landed on 30 October at the Mumbai airport, actor Sonali Bendre, who wore a ‘nauvari’ saree, welcomed the popstar and applied ‘tilak’ on his head and performed ‘aarti’.</p>.<p>The Thackerays had presented the star a ‘tabla’ and ‘tanpura’ after he visited their Bandra bungalow.</p>.<p>The concert was held at the Andheri Sports Complex.</p>.<p>During the visit, he had also enjoyed Indian cuisine and even mingled with fans.</p>