The general board meeting at the AMC was a violent affair with BJP corporators throwing files and threatening the opposition members with chappals. In fact, given the cacophony and chaos that ensued, it resembled the fish market of Kalupur instead of a place where people's representatives came together to discuss civic issues.
The violent outburst by BJP members came after some Congress members compared Narendra Modi to liquor baron Vijay Mallya. It should be noted that chief minister Modi had recently posed for photographs near the Sabarmati Riverfront project dressed in corduroys and a hat — a la Mallya.
The zero hour discussion in the general board meeting — where civic woes are discussed — had to be called off when meeting was postponed.It all began when Jamalpur corporator and Congress member Imran Khedawala criticised the BJP members for pulling out AMC officials from various wards and zone offices to attend Sankalp Jyot Rath Yatra.
Khedawala argued that due to such gimmicks the officials had no time to attend to civic problems.
When one of the BJP corporators referred to Modi, Khedawala said, "The CM is only interested in posing for pictures at Sabarmati Riverfront wearing a hat like Vijay Mallya."
The comment did not go down well with BJP corporators like Amit Shah who rushed near the stage at the auditorium in AMC with a microphone and began shouting.
One Bhushan Bhatt preferred to climb on his chair and shout slogans while some others started throwing files.
"A furious Shah also removed his shoe and pointed it at Khedawala," said a Congress corporator. "When we compared Modi to Mallya we did not mean any insult. Mallya is a reputed businessman and a member of parliament. What BJP corporators found wrong with the comparison is still a mystery," said Congress corporator Himmatsinh Patel. "It is highly disgusting to see BJP corporators like former mayor Amit Shah wielding a shoe and threatening us with it," said Patel.
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