Guest list gets AAI into trouble

A galaxy of names, arranged according to protocol, beginning from the PM and Governor down to union ministers and MPs dotted the AAI invitation card. But there was no mention of the Mayor of Mumbai.

8220;The AAI has shown disrespect to the Mayor, the first citizen of Mumbai,8221; thundered Opposition Congress corporator Ravindra Pawar who advised the Mayor to not attend the function. The Samajwadi Party8217;s Yusuf Abrahani remarked that though he thought little of the present mayor, he respected the chair and felt the AAI had erred.

He was supported byformer mayor and Sena member Vishakha Raut who complained that during her tenure her klaxon-flashing car had been denied entry into the airport on two occasions. On both occasions she had gone to receive the prime minister. She was allowed in only after she reminded the AAI that if they ruled the airports, the BMC ruled the roads outside. 8220;What cheek!8221; she exclaimed, exhorting the mayor to boycott the function.

Sena firebrand Neeta Naik demanded an apology from the AAI. She also said the BMC should write a letter of protest to Union Civil Aviation Minister Ananth Kumar asking whether it was a mistake or deliberate omission to slight the mayor.

8220;If we keep quite we shall be setting a bad precedent,8221; warned Deputy mayor Gopal Shetty. He narrated how the BMC had missed an opportunity to make the AAI pay, literally, when the AAI had banned construction of buildings over two floors in the vicinity of the airports, the corporation should have extracted a hefty compensation from them. 8220;For if there werehigh-rises in their place, we could have earned a lot in taxes. They should know the BMC8217;s worth,8221; he stressed.

Finally it was the Mayor8217;s turn. An overwhelmed Satam stood up and looked around in awe. 8220;The AAI8217;s act is indeed very deplorable, but remember the renaming is not a sudden phenomenon. Many Shiv Sainiks fought and took the brunt of lathi8216;s on themselves during the agitation.8221;

He justified his attendance of the function by trotting out the guest list. 8220;Who is bigger, AAI or Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ? Who is bigger AAI or Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee? Who is bigger AAI or Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray? These personalities are much bigger so I will have to go for their sake,8221; he said.

Satam went on to add ominously, 8220;As for the AAI, I have taken a note of their insult. The BMC has its own distinct identity in this city. Whenever I get a chance, I will remind them of that,8221; he concluded, to thumping desks.

A few kilometres away from the BMC headquarters, high dramawas witnessed in the state legislature also as members of legislative council trooped out of the house, complaining that they had not been invited for the renaming ceremony.

Opposition members staged a walkout in the council protesting state government8217;s pathetic attitude.8217; Leader of the Opposition Chhagan Bhujbal raised a point-of-order saying that none of the opposition members had been invited for such an important function. 8220;We condemn the state government8217;s attitude,8221; he said, leading the entire opposition out of the House.

Later, Shiv Sena member Arvind Sawant termed as highly insulting8217; the government8217;s failure to send invitations to MLAs and MLCs.

When contacted Airport Director RJ Treasurywala, the seniormost AAI official in the city, said: 8220;I can8217;t comment on the subject, ask the questions to the correct people.8221;