Is it about dandiya revelry or rivalry?

With barely few days left for Navratri, it seems like politics is completely dominating the festival. This is at least the case in Navi Mumbai’s Airoli area where Shiv Sena and the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the municipal corporation are in a race to dominate this node.

Sena leader Bandu Patil has accused NCP corporator MK Madhvi of hacking trees planted on the divider and removing the divider itself, allegedly to make larger space for smooth conduct of dandiya in sector 8A of the node. Madhvi’s mandal has been conducting the event in this sector for years.

Patil has submitted a written complaint to municipal commissioner Abasaheb Jarhad and demanded an inquiry into the matter.

Sena’s city unit chief Vijay Choughule said, “It is true that we met municipal commissioner yesterday [on Tuesday] and our corporator Surekha Patil and Bandu Patil submitted a written complaint for hacking trees in sector 8A. They say [referring to Madhvi] that the Tree Authority has permitted hacking of trees, but Tree Authority gives permission for tree planting and not for hacking. Also, it permits only trimming within the society premises for trees which have potential of causing serious harm.”

Choughule added, “Sanjay Desai, official from the Tree Authority, is saying that they removed the trees because they wanted to carry out renovation work. What is the need to remove trees if you want to carry out renovation? These trees were not causing any inconvenience, then what was no need to remove them in the first place? This was done ahead of the Navratri festival in order to conduct dandiya.”

However, Madhvi strongly defending himself, said, “It is ploy to defame me as some dandiya organisers of rival political party are not able to digest the growing popularity of our dandiya group, which is conducted under the banner of Karan Mitra Mandal.”

Madhvi added, “The decision to uproot trees from this place and plant it elsewhere was taken around seven to eight months ago during the meeting of Tree Authority; I have nothing to do with it. During the meeting, it was decided that all the trees whose life span is more than 25 years and are on divider will be planted elsewhere as roots of these big plants penetrate deep into the soil and can cause damage. I have not asked for removing any trees. Some elements in the area, who have vested interests, are spreading such lies.”

The NCP corporator further said, “Our mandal has been conducting dandiya for 10 years and is the most popular dandiya in the city. Around 8,000 to 9,000 people attend the event every year. Last year, too, we had painted the kerbstones and spent the money from our pockets instead of depending on the corporation. This year, merely 10 days ahead of Navratri, the civic administration has removed the divider to uproot the trees. When I asked officials from the Tree Authority they said that we only shift the trees. The work of repairs due to removal of divider is of the engineering department.”

“When I contacted the engineering department I was told that in 10 days the proposal cannot be prepared and works cannot be undertaken. So, we levelled the road and placed interlocking blocks ourselves else we would have not been able to conduct the event. On the contrary, I want to know why the civic administration deliberately took up work ahead of dandiya. Was it to derail our event? Civic officials have uprooted trees in this particular stretch and left the other areas untouched,” Madhvi concluded.

Trees will be replanted 
The issue of NCP corporator MK Madhvi allegedly hacking trees figured during the standing committee meeting on Wednesday. Civic officials confirmed that the trees were uprooted for planting them elsewhere as per the decision taken during the Tree Authority meeting around seven to eight months ago.

Confirming this, Sanjay Desai, official of Tree Authority, said, “The trees will be planted elsewhere and have not been hacked. The decision was taken during Tree Authority meeting.”

Madhvi has, however, questioned the timing of this activity. “If the proposal was passed nearly a year ago, why have they uprooted the trees ahead of the festival. There is certainly a conspiracy to defame me and our mandal which has been getting overwhelming response for dandiya.”