Nashik Diary

The fair, estimated to cost the civic exchequer close to Rs 5 lakh, is to be held from October 2 to October 11, and is aimed at 8220;encouraging people to buy books8221;. The NMC provides financial aid to city libraries every year, and, according to standing committee chairman Shahu Khaire, with people being in a festive mood between Dussera and Diwali, and the fair will induce them to 8220;buy a book or two8221;.

However, it is Shahu8217;s message, printed on the official invitation, that has led to friction among the powers-that-be. For, Shahu8217;s name is the only one emblazoned at the bottom of the invite. Convention demands that the invite also bear the names of the mayor and the municipal commissioner. And, evidently, Shahu doesn8217;t believe in going by thebook.

Besides, he belongs to the Congress 8212; a minority in the 87 member House, while the NMC is controlled by the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, together boasting of 37 corporators. The NMC is a peculiar mix of convenient alliances. A Shiv Sena-BJP supported RPI man, Ashok Dive, is Mayor and Shiv Sena corporator Ashok Gawli is leader of the House. While Congress corporator, Shahu Khaire is chairman of the standing committee.

What has irked the Mayor and those of the Sena-BJP combine is that Shahu has not only tried to project himself as the sole organiser of the event, but among the 60-odd special invitees8217; who are slated to address a series of seminars, at least 15 are Congressmen. Only five BJP politicians, three Sena men and four Independents figure in the list of special invitees. To top it all, Shahu has printed a separate invitation which exclusively bears the names of the standing committee members.

Whether the fair finds favour with the book-loving general public remains to be seen. But with mayoralpolls round the corner, it will certainly provide a platform to city Congressmen at the taxpayers8217; expense 8212; an innovative tactic if there was one. One that certainly wasn8217;t learnt from a book.

Witchcraft Kills

A tribal from Ghagbari village of Surgana Taluka, Mohan Laxman Gaikwad, invited the wrath of the villagers, who believed that he practised witchraft.

When two children died within a week, the villagers panicked and resorted to the age-old excuse for helplessness in matters of death and disease 8212; black magic. They turned on a hapless Gaikwad whose explanations were no match for his collective frenzy.

Unable to take the pressure, a frantic Mohan resolved to end his life instead and climbing an electric pole, electrocuted himself 8212; another addition to the list of victims of superstition.

His wife Sonabai has, meanwhile, filed a police complaint, stating that some villagers had demanded money in return for sparing his life.

Virtual Reality

A BJP corporator, Devyani Pharande,recently organised a function to publicise her achievements in her ward. The function was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde and the chairman of the State legislative council Prof N S Pharande, who incidentally is related to her. An overhead water tank was inaugurated and a performance report released on the occasion, all speakers praising Madam Corporator to the skies.

However, within a week of the function, where she emerged as a decisive trouble-shooter, an unsavoury incident indicated that all was not well. Two policemen 8212; Gulab Sonar city traffic policeman and Baburao Thombre Nashik Road police station8211; living in the police quarters where the overhead water tank was inaugurated came to blows, apparently over scarcity of drinking water. The issue had already made sworn enemies of their respective wives at the communal tap where Corporator Pharande had intervened. Thombre was however annoyed as it was Sonar who had called the corporator to end the quarrel. At which point he decidedto settle scores. He and his wife together assaulted Sonar and his wife. Sonar8217;s wife, Jyoti, lodged a complaint with the Sarkarwada police, while Tombare8217;s wife, Shantabai too filed a cross-complaint.

The incident not only brought to the fore the lawlessness of the men in uniform, but also indicated that the woes of the citizens of the ward had not ended, despite the grand show of achievement.