Tenancy Act will adversely impact middle class, say Sena

Two days after the Cabinet approved the Model Tenancy Act (MTA), the Shiv Sena on Friday protested it claiming that some provisions would adversely impact tenants from middle and lower middle class in the city.

Sena MP Arvind Sawant from South Mumbai Lok Sabha protest-ed along with party office-bearers at Kumbharwada, while Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale along with MLA Sada Sarvanwakar and party workers protested near party headquarters in Dadar (West) Friday. Shewale also wrote a letter to PM Narendra Modi stating that the provisions of the MTA will impact tenants staying in around 15,000 old chawls in South Mumbai and central Mumbai and demanded that the Act should be cancelled. The Act proposes to set up separate rent authorities, codes and tribunals in every district.

“These reforms mean the tenant will have to pay rent according to market price, and if tenant fails to pay rent continuously for two months the owner can evict the tenant immediately. If the tenant refuses to get evicted, the owner can ask for double the rent. There are a lot of chawls and old buildings in Mumbai. Tenants staying in these chawls and buildings are from middle and lower middle class and, hence, they can’t afford to pay rent as per market price,” said Shewale, in a letter to the PM.