Shiv Sena and Congress corporators come to blows in BMC

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is considered to a role model for other civic bodies in the country, witnessed unruly scenes today, after corporators from the Shiv Sena and the Congress literally came to blows in the House.
A discussion on Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte's controversial remarks on Aarey Colony turned into a brawl as corporators abused and jostled each other.
In the process, six more Congress corporators were suspended for a day by Mayor Snehal Ambekar for creating ruckus in the House.
The suspended corporators are Lalita Yadav, Geeta Yadav, Sagar Singh Thakur, Brian Miranda, Shivanand Shetty and Yogesh Bhoir.

Ambekar had already suspended six Congress corporators for 15 days for indecent and rude behaviour on Tuesday.
There was high drama on Thursday too after these corporators tried to barge into the house despite facing suspension orders.

Congress corporators were in no mood to continue with proceedings today until suspension of their colleagues was revoked.
As soon as the House resumed, they started shouting slogans and blowing whistles, but the Mayor decided to continue with the proceedings nonetheless.
Justifying its plans to develop part of Aarey Colony in Goregaon into a commercial hub, Municipal Commissioner Sitaram Kunte had said on Thursday that it is impossible to ensure that the large green open space would not be encroached upon and "converted into another Dharavi" by 2034.

Raising the issue in the civic house, MNS group leader Sandeep Deshpande demanded his resignation over the matter.
"Being the BMC chief, it is his duty to protect open spaces in the city. However, by making such a statement, he has shown that he is not capable of doing this," Deshpande said.
During the ongoing discussion, Congress members created a ruckus, after which the mayor suspended six corporators.
After Sena corporators tried to argue with them, an altercation took place, which soon turned into a brawl.
Sena and Congress corporators jostled with each other, due to which House proceedings came to a standstill.

Even women corporators engaged in heated verbal exchanges.