Says it changed rules about executive members, but activist files fresh complaint.
The committee in charge of the city’s beloved Lalbaugcha Raja pandal may have a sexist streak, say equal rights activists. The central body that organizes the most visited Ganesh Pandal has no women on the managing committee for years.
The sifter, says local activist Mahesh Vengurlekar, is a clause in the Mandal’s constitution, under category 8/3 of ‘Classification of members’ which says “The (executive) member should be an original resident of the area stated under 6(A) and should be a male member...” The website (www.lalbaugcharaja.com) of the Mandal’s committee for 2019 shows that all the members on the management committee this year are male.
Vengurlekar had complained to the Assistant Charity Commissioner about the Mandal not having any women representation on their management committee. On July 30th, 2019, the Assistant Charity Commissioner rejected the application after the Mandal’s submission that said they are ready to allow women on the committee. “It has been submitted by the trust that they are ready to take women candidates on the Managing Committee if they file their nominations at the time of the election. As per the scheme of the trust, there is no bar for women to take part in the managing committee...,” the order said, of which DNA has procured a copy.
However, the same July 2019 order, it says that the Mandal is governed by the scheme ‘approved by the Ld Deputy Charity Commissioner vide order dt.17.02.2010...” a date which shows that the Mandal is still governed by the ‘sexist’ rules of its unamended 2010 constitution.
“We have thousands of women serving as volunteers,” said Mandal Secretary Sudhir Salvi, “We have modified our constitution which stated that only men can apply, and hence the assistant charity commissioner ruled in our favour.”
On August 13, Vengurlekar filed a fresh complaint with the charity commission, saying the constitution had not been changed to reflect the admission of women. “We pointed out the discrepancy to the assistant charity commissioner that the Mandal’s claims to match with their actions.
We have also urged for an open election, and the commission has advised we appeal to a higher appeal,” said Vengurlekar. “We have received the complaint and have forwarded it to the Public Festival Registration committee,” said the Charity Commissioner office’s PRO Rajesh Lohar.
The management committee for the annual pandal is elected a year in advance: i.e. For 2019, the committee was elected in May 2018. Thus, the election of any female member to the committee will only be possible in May 2020, and reflect on the managing committee for the 2021’s pandal.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sarvajanik Ganapati kept at Lalbaug during Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai")
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}