Under flak, Sena changes stand on Kurla plot

Opposition parties in the Mumbai civic body Monday slammed the Shiv Sena for its bid to de-reserve a 200 square metre plot in suburban Kurla citing difficulty in removing encroachments.

Leaders of the Congress, SP and NCP have accused Sena leaders and city Mayor of "conniving" with builders by seeking to de-reserve the said plot.

However, in an apparent change of stand, the Sena now says that the party wanted the reservation on the plot to continue.

Last week, Sena corporator Anant Nar had moved an amendment against the original proposal to acquire the plot reserved for a public ground, which was passed by a majority in the general body meeting.

The Sena is the ruling party in the 227-member Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

"Moving amendment against reservation was flawed and in contravention to rules, but no senior leader opposed the move. We want an apology from Mayor and reversal of the amendment," opposition leader Ravi Raja of Congress told reporters Monday.

Samajwadi Party (SP) group leader Raees Sheikh said the Sena leaders wanted the plot to be transferred to builders by seeking to de-reserve it.

"It is the duty of the BMC to get rid of squatters from the plot and get it back, but they did nothing," he claimed.

NCP group leader Rakhi Jadhav said, "The Improvement Committee led by Sena's Dilip Lande had passed the proposal to de-reserve the plot. We want him to quit on moral grounds".

When contacted, a Sena leader said the party wanted the reservation to stay.

The BMC had drawn a flak earlier after it failed to acquire a 3.3-acre plot for a recreational ground in suburban Jogeshwari in July this year, prompting civic chief Ajoy Mehta to file FIR against officials for allegedly tampering his remarks on an official file.