While leaders of the Congress and the Shiv Sena have been demanding disqualification of the women corporators who assaulted each other in the corporation’s general body meeting on Tuesday, ex-mayor Shubha Raul has written a letter to Congress corporator Sheetal Mhatre, condemning her for using bangles as a symbol of weakness.
Raul wrote: “You have not only insulted the mayor, but the entire womanhood.
Women wear bangles, so does it mean that they are weak? But you tried to make it a point... The bangles which you flung at the mayor are not the symbol of weakness as you suggested... they are the symbol of power, worn by goddesses.”
Dahisar corporator Mhatre was peeved at the Shiv Sena’s proposal of turning the racecourse into a theme park. As the proposal was moved by standing committee chairman Rahul Shewale, the mayor did not allow any discussion by Opposition members. Mhatre demanded that she be heard. The mayor turned down her demand. Angry, she went up to the mayor’s chair and gave him her bangles, suggesting that if he did not have the guts to open the floor for discussion, he shouldn’t have brought the proposal.
Shailesh Phanse, leader of the House, has demanded that Mhatre be disqualified not only for her “bangle act”, but also for her indisciplined track record. She tried to protect illegal slums in Ganpat Patil Nagar and obstructed action from civic authorities. She also attacked the civic officials who were doing their duty at the site.
Leader of Opposition Dynanraj Nikam demanded that Kishori Pednekar and Yamini Jadhav of the Shiv Sena be disqualified as they along with other women corporators of the Sena attacked Mhatre. “Strict action has been demanded by the corporators and we are examining the request,” mayor Sunil Prabhu said.
However, there is no provision that a mayor can disqualify corporators for their indiscipline after the house is adjourned. Nirmala Sawant Prabhavalkar, the first woman mayor of Mumbai and member of National Women’s Commission (NCW), expressed shock and grief over the incident. However, she reserved her comments on the issue as she was not witness to the incident. But, she said, giving bangles to the mayor (read man) is a very sad approach with ancient mind-set.
“It is old thinking that if a man cannot do anything, he is fit to wear bangles, which suggests that he is not worth doing any good... Women wear bangles which are actually a symbol of strength, and not weakness,” she said.
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