Mumbai, June 26: Congress members on Thursday demanded the removal of Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak, calling him an RSS man and accusing him of favouring the ruling Shiv-Sena-BJP combine in the BMC.
Alleging discrimination against the Opposition, Congress leaders have written a letter to Chief Minister Ashok Chavan asking him to sack Phatak.
The drama unfolded when Congress MLA Yusuf Abrahani led a delegation of opposition corporators and met Phatak. The Congress activists tried to force bangles on Phatak’s wrist, distributed posters and shouted slogans saying, “Dr Jairaj Phatak is an RSS man, Dr Jairaj Phatak go back.”
The protest was triggered by the water problems in Abrahani’s constituency. “I have been meeting Phatak to complain every week. However the problem has only worsened. At least 60 per cent of the people have been going without water for 25 days. Those with illegal connections get water but taxpayers don’t,” he said.
“It’s a general feeling among all Congress-NCP leaders that Phatak is partial to the Sena-BJP. If Congress-NCP leaders have any grievances, they are ignored,” he said.
He said they had written about this to the Chief Minister letter and would get other elected representatives, including MLAs and corporators, to join the demand.
Phatak said he did not support any political party. “I am an IAS officer and not a political person. To keep my conscience clean I don’t even vote in any elections.”
He said no complaints will be filed with the police against the Congress activists. In a democracy, everyone has the right to protest legally, he said.
—–Agencies