UMC officials boycott general body meeting

The officials say they will not attend meetings unless, “the corporators change their behaviour and attitude” towards them. The complaint also alleges that corporator D Bodare (Shiv Sena), alongwith a group of Shiv Sainiks, barged into the deputy municipal commissioner’s cabin, and abused and threatened him, “for leaning towards the Congress”.

The letterrequests the deputy police commissioner (Zone IV) to investigate the matter and take suitable action.

Meanwhile, the meeting witnessed was marked by high drama, which began with Jaya Sadhwani of the Congress announcing her party’s decision to give the mayor, “a special gift.”

Subhash Mansulkar (Cong) then proceeded towards the dais with a tray full of glass tumblers, in reference to Monday’s incident of the mayor attacking local journalist Shamim Ahmed with a glass of water.

The Sena members registered their protest, but Mansulkar was undeterred. Prakash Mahdik (Shiv Sena) said, “There is no system of giving gifts to anybody inside the House,” but went ahead and pushed the tray when he realised his appeals fell on deaf ears. The tumblers fell to the floor with a resounding crash.

Soon, corporators from both parties rushed to the floor of the House, arguing with each other. In the midst of all the action, Hardas Makhija (Congress) asked, “Why is the idea of a gift so embarrassing for the Sena?”and added, “How did they envisage what we were trying to intend even before any of us spoke. Or is this an acceptance of the fact that the mayor was wrong in her outburst?”

Later, when tempers had cooled, Makhija requested the mayor “to express regret over the unintentional loss of control over herself”, but Yashaswini Naik was firm, “There is no question of my regretting anything since all this never happened.”

Meanwhile, the Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation general body meeting was also adjourned, but this time, the journalists were to blame.

When the sound system in the House failed, there were frantic gesticulations to the technician, which did not work. The journalists then walked out of the House and raised slogans against the administration. When former deputy mayor Uday Samel’s pleas for order did not work, Mayor Anita Dalwi had to adjourn proceedings.