MNS corporator from Khar accused of assault on activist puts up more banners in defiance

Geeta Chavan, the MNS corporator from Khar, who together with her supporters allegedly threatened an ALM activist over a complaint against illegal banners on Saturday, put up more banners and posters across her ward on Sunday in what appeared to be open defiance of a civic restriction.

The banners and posters, conveying greetings to Chavan’s husband on his birthday, were so numerous that the ward officer ordered them to be removed on Sunday afternoon.

Aftab Siddiqui, who is president of ALM 144, was threatened by a group of about 80 MNS workers led by Chavan at the H/West ward office for lodging a complaint against these illegal displays.

Commenting on episode, Siddiqui said: “The corporator told me that the ALM’s role is limited to garbage collection. She said MNS works for Mumbai and that I should not interfere in their work. Is this how they react by threatening officials and citizens who do not agree with them?”

The incident has sparked off outrage with other citizens voicing their concern. “Many politicians want ALMs that they cannot cultivate to only deal with garbage so they can have a free hand on illegal hawking, illegal constructions and so on. ALMs are watchdogs and Siddiqui’s case is a classic example of why politicians are against her, for she has never compromised on her complaints but taken them to their logical end,” said Anil Joseph of the Perry Road ALM in Bandra.

The activists are angry that the assistant commissioner of H/West ward, in whose office the incident happened, has not lodged a police complaint against the corporator and her supporters.

They have demanded that the ward office provide the CCTV footage of the incident to assist them register a complaint.