State Assembly adjourns over BMC division into 3 corporations

BJP member Shelar said it was a sinister design of dividing Mumbai and BJP would definitely oppose it

The state assembly on Tuesday twice witnessed uproar and adjournment of the House over the issue of dividing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) into three corporations. The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) were in favour of creating three Corporations out of the present civic body, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena members opposed it vehemently. Besides the other issues, Congress legislator Naseem Khan raised the issue through the Point of Information about late Monday’s fire that gutted a farsan shop and said, "The Saki Naka cylinder blast inside the farsan shop caused the death of 12 people was only due to gross neglect by BMC. BMC cannot provide basic amenities to a huge population that it is catering to. There is a need to divide BMC into three corporations for better governance."

BJP member Ashish Shelar objected to it and said it was a sinister design of dividing Mumbai and BJP would oppose it. NCP member Ajit Pawar said, "Few members are trying to spoil the atmosphere and we all are against dividing Mumbai city as such since no one can take Mumbai out of Maharashtra."

He further said, "We are exploring creation of Hadapsar Municipal Corporation since Pune city is growing, but it does not mean that we want to divide Pune."

Shelar objected to it and said if at all Pawar is supporting Mumbai division, he should say so, but BJP would condemn such a proposal. Subhash Sabane, Shiv Sena legislator from Nanded opposed Naseem Khan's proposal and used derogatory words to Khan which were removed from the proceedings by Speaker Haribhau Bagade.

Since Sabane used insulting words for Khan, entire opposition protested against it and the House was adjourned for 10 minutes. Soon after resumption, BJP and Sena members started chanting slogans condemning Naseem Khan for his proposal. The Opposition members too supported the proposal.

The House was adjourned second time for half an hour. Resuming after 30 minutes, the House started business as usual without disruption.

Khan alleged Shelar who was opposing division of BMC had alleged BMC was most corrupt corporation.