This may be read by other corporators ,MLAs and M.Ps and emulate  to make their voters feel that  they  do care for rule of law and fight against impropriety and illegalities  whereever noticed  tooth and nail in the national interests.

A  BJP corporator from Khar, Mr. Ashish Shelar has done something which others rarely do but must do.  Wish we get all politicians like him and then  public will not feel sorry for  the  choice  of their candidates. .

The story narrated in TOI on page 2  ( of 14th Dec. ) is about Mr. Shelar having filed a PIL in Mumbai H.C challenging a proposal  by the Maharashtra Govt.  to hand over 33.6 acres of prime property  to a private builder  for rehabilitating around 25000 slum dwellers . The hearing of the pil is scheduled for 17.1.07. The Corporator , obviously having done his home work properly, as regards facts and figures, has alleged that the builder is likely to make a profit of Rs. 1500 crores  from the project  while investing just Rs. 100 crores. He has further claimedthat  the Govt's decision has violated a January 2003 order of the high court which stated  that any new rehabilitation scheme  on open spaces or no- devolopment zone must first be got approved from the court.

Elections of the municipalties are around the corner. The voters  who will be electing their representatives will have to read their  janampatries ( like  the work they have done or other achievements to their credit) carefully before casting their votes to see that they get only the best. Otherwise the old adage will come into play i.e 'you get what you deserve'

Other news in the same paper is about  the swift master stroke handed out by the State Election Commissioner Mr. Nandlal in announcing the election date for some municipalties and thereby bringing the developemental  works to the grinding halt. This may have dampened the spirits of some who had other plans in mind, but then it has also  halted the schemes which were beneficial for the community at large if  allowed to get started. Keeping the public interest uppermost , the concerned authorities should sit together, and even at the cost of suspending certain debarring provisions of election rules called code of conduct, discuss and selectively permit the schemes to go ahead for execution. To stop or  not allot the work of road repairs or any such public related  civic work , based on the assumption that  some may  get unduly benefited therefrom,    at the cost of multitudes suffering inconvenience and hardship  could not have fitted in  Chankiya or Solomon's wisdom  parameters. So even at this late stage, the State Election Commissioner  may have a second look in  the matter   and find a way out to let both exercises go ahead. Laws are made for the good of the people and not vice versa. Any retrograde step vis-a-vis public interest must take a back seat.This suggestion is without prejudice to the logic enshrined in the election rules per se.

 

Ram