Senior Shiv Sena leader, corporator Mangesh Satamkar. (File)THE SHIV Sena-led BMC has rejected the proposal of seeking permission for the disqualification of a senior party leader, corporator Mangesh Satamkar, over allegations of him indulging in illegal construction. On March 1, a proposal of seeking the House’s permission for moving an application in the small causes court for disqualification of Satamkar was rejected with the Sena and BJP coming together. Most of the Congress corporators had stayed away from the meeting as party president Rahul Gandhi was in the city.
The matter came in light when Opposition leader Ravi Raja raised the issue on Tuesday.
“This is very serious as Sena is openly protecting a public representative who is involved in illegal construction. Sena and BJP deliberately brought this proposal on a day when the Opposition was absent so that they can easily reject the proposal. They are setting a wrong precedent by taking such a step and it is absolutely undemocratic to protect the wrong,” said the Congress leader.
He added, “In the past, when a proposal of disqualification of Congress corporator Vinita Bora was brought in House, the same Sena and BJP had given a nod to it. Are there different rules for different parties?”
On February 16, The Indian Express had reported about BMC’s proposal of seeking permission for Satamkar’s disqualification. According to the proposal, Satamkar was granted permission to construct a Zunka Bhakar Kendra in an area not exceeding 120 sq ft. However, he allegedly built the unit over an area of 600 sq ft and also constructed an additional floor without taking permission from BMC.
Following this, former Congress corporator Lalita Yadav filed several complaints with the BMC, seeking demolition of the structure and disqualification of Satamkar. Yadav contended that Satamkar should be disqualified under Section 16 (1D) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act-1888, which states that if a corporator constructs an encroachment, he or she should be disqualified.
Earlier, Satamkar had denied charges of illegal construction.
Leader of the House Vishakha Raut on Wednesday claimed that Raja had agreed to reject the proposal against Satamkar.
“The allegations made by Raja are not true as he had agreed to reject this proposal. Days before the meeting, he had asked us not to discuss some of proposals since they (Congress corporators) will not be there at the March 1 meeting and we have not discussed those proposals. But for Satamkar’s proposal, he clearly agreed to reject it. I don’t know why he is now changing his stand and making allegations otherwise.”
