Borivali demolition: Gopal Shetty slams BMC, BJP leadership over razing of 27 houses

Former BJP MP Gopal Shetty has tonsured his head in protest against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations BMC demolition of 27 houses in Borivali East accusing the civic body of acting in haste and failing to give residents adequate time to retrieve their belongingsDescribing the demolition drive conducted on November 4 as a mockery of democracy Shetty also criticised the local BJP leadership for allegedly failing to support the affected familiesThe BMC demolished 27 houses built on a 3400squaremetre plot reserved for a BEST bus station on Swami Vivekanand Road in Borivali East The action followed the Supreme Courts criticism of the civic body for failing to remove encroachments despite earlier directionsShetty tonsures head to protest demolitionSpeaking to reporters on Saturday Shetty said he had tonsured his head to express solidarity with the families whose houses were demolishedHe alleged that residents were not given sufficient time to remove their household belongings before the civic body carried out the demolitionI have never seen such action in my public life Even a person like 2611 terror attack Ajmal Kasab was given eight years to face trial and an opportunity to approach the President after his conviction he saidShetty claimed that residents received notices at around 130 am on November 4 and that their houses were demolished by 7 am leaving them little time to retrieve their possessionsQuestions BMCs submissions before Supreme CourtThe former MP also questioned how the BMC presented the matter before the Supreme Court He alleged that the civic body failed to submit copies of notices issued to the occupants and their replies despite the court seeking the relevant documentsShetty claimed that the affected families had occupied the land for nearly 50 years and possessed property assessment bills He described the plot as private land and alleged that incorrect information had been presented before the courtHe urged the judiciary to examine the conduct of officials involved in the matterSupreme Court had pulled up civic bodyThe demolition was carried out after the Supreme Court criticised the BMC for failing to remove the structures despite earlier directionsThe court had also ordered a freeze on the November salaries of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and the officials concerned besides initiating contempt proceedingsThe salaryrelated direction and contempt notice were subsequently withdrawn after the BMC informed the court that the structures had been removedFollowing the controversy the civic body issued showcause notices to RCentral ward assistant municipal commissioner Praful Tambe and law officer Komal Punjabi over alleged administrative lapses It also reassigned charge of its law departmentShetty expresses displeasure with BJP leadershipApart from criticising the civic administration Shetty publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the BJPs local leadership alleging that party leaders from north Mumbai had neither visited the affected families nor supported him during the agitationI am definitely upset with my party I will not hide it I have worked day and night to build the party and if some people now consider themselves its owners that is not right he saidFormer MP to stay away from party programmesShetty announced that he would stay away from political programmes organised by the BJP including the Mumbai units annual Diwali gathering However he said he would continue attending social eventsHe also said he planned to raise the issue with the BJPs central leadership in DelhiWith inputs from PTI