MUMBAI, March 22: Chief Minister Narayan Rane today reiterated that his government would not reinstate Arun Bhatia as Municipal Commissioner, Pune.``I have explained my views as well as policy of the government to a delegation of the Punekar Action Committee led by former bureaucrat Avinash Dharmadhikari. There is absolutely no question of rethinking on the decision. His transfer will not be cancelled,'' Rane told The Indian Express.Bhatia was shunted out of the Pune Municipal Corporation after he undertook a massive demolition drive after being at the helm of affairs for just six-and-half days. The ground for his transfer was stated as indiscipline during his tenure as Divisional Commissioner. Following Rane's refusal, the Action Committee has decided to intensify the stir against the government. ``We submitted a memorandum signed by 1.5 lakh persons. We will not hesitate to give a call for Pune bandh or resort to rasta roko to press our demand,'' Dharmadhikari said. The delegation has made fourdemands - cancel Bhatia's transfer, there should be right to information, declare transfer policy and launch a statewide campaign against illegal and unauthorised structures.``Except for our first demand - reinstatement of Bhatia - the Chief Minister has conceded all our demands, but it has no relevance. We will withdraw our stir only if Bhatia is reinstated . We are of the view that it was a malafide transfer at the instance of the Chief Secretary,'' Dharmadhikari said.Bhatia himself is awaiting the outcome of the public interest petition filed by the action committee. If there is no relief from the court, the former Pune Municipal Commissioner is likely to move the Central Administrative Tribunal.Though Bhatia was not available for comment, a senior official of the Pune Municipal Corporation said the bureaucrat was transferred following intervention of Chief Secretary P Subrahmanyam, who wrongly briefed the Chief Minister. ``If one looks at the correspondence between Bhatia and Subrahmanyam, it isnot confidential, neither does it attract the provisions of the Official Secrets Act."
