Dr Indu Shahani believes someone feels threatened by her; BJP's students' wing denies concerted campaign against Mumbai's lady
Dr Indu Shahani believes someone feels threatened by her; BJP's students' wing denies concerted campaign against Mumbai's lady
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THE BANNER: Near the M D College at Parel. PIC/VISHAL KELKAR |
The first lady of Mumbai, Dr Indu Shahani, is under fire. Shahani, the very visible sheriff of Mumbai, is being targeted by the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (BJP student body) for her absence from Mumbai, post the 26/11 terror attacks. "What kind of sheriff is this," asks the ABVP poster outside the Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati College in Parel.
The banner says that while Mumbai was steeped in tragedy post 26/11, was abroad instead of being in the city. However, Milind M, from ABVP, downplayed the controversy, saying, "This is an old issue. We expressed these sentiments in a meeting a few days postu00a0 26/11.
Now, certain college units may have thought they could make posters to express these sentiments. These posters are not designed by the ABVP."
Milind added, "Though Dr Shahani went abroad on a pre-determined programme, it could have been cancelled in the wake of the attacks. This is not a concerted ABVP campaign against the sheriff."u00a0
Meanwhile, Dr Shahani, who is also the principal of HR College at Churchgate, said, "I think there is some politics involved in this." She explained, "I was in the city for five days. I went only later with 35 college principals to the UK and the USA. I do not want Mumbai to be just the financial capital of the country, but its academic capital as well."
Dr Shahani, whose term ended on December 19, 2008, says she has been told by the government to, "Continue till further orders." She further stated, "This may be the work of some person related to the University in some way.
These jealous elements may be threatened that I might become Vice-Chancellor of the University." Dr Shahani ended by saying that, "It is time to concentrate on the positives. The press should ignore this issue."u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
About the poster "The sheriff of Mumbai left the terror-struck city and went abroad along with others. What answer does she have for this? Is this humane or humanitarian?" ABVP. The poster shows a visual of Mumbaikars lighting candles as a tribute to the 26/11 terror victims under a heading saying, 'Where is the ordinary Indian.' Another image of a flying aircraft asks, 'Where is Indu Shahani?'u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
