Outpouring of support for Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, against whom a no confidence motion was passed, continued with a petition asking Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to overrule the motion against the officer.
“We see Tukaram Mundhe as an honest and upright civic chief of Navi Mumbai who has ruffled the feathers of all politicians and vested interests in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation. He is sensitive to the needs of the citizens and has taken on the mafia head-on,” reads the petition launched by activist Binu Bose at change.Org.
The petition would be submitted to Fadnavis, seeking to overrule the motion which will be sent to Urban Development Department, headed by him.
In a first in NMMC history, the no confidence motion was passed against Mundhe, the 2006 batch IAS officer, for his “autocratic style of working and disrespecting the elected representatives.”
Mundhe had denied the allegations against him, saying he was bound to provide transparent and accessible civil services to citizens.
In the 111-member NCP-ruled civic body, the motion was passed with 105 corporators voting in its favour while six members of BJP opposed it.
“The no confidence motion has been passed against him (Mundhe) by all political parties. We know that whenever honest officers take on these powerful corporators, they gang up and shoot the messenger,” the petition stated.
Mundhe, known as an upright officer, has received immense support from Navi Mumbaikars for running a spirited campaign against illegal constructions, mostly linked to the nexus between some ruling corporators and private builders.
On Sunday, local residents, activists and intellectuals had organised a rally “Walk for Commissioner” in support of Mundhe.
In a statement issued today, Aam Aadmi Party requested the CM not to take cognisance of the motion and to “hear the voice of the citizens of Navi Mumbai.”
“AAP condemns the no confidence motion passed by the parties in the NMMC. This shows the political nexus between the corporators of Sena, NCP and Congress while the BJP acted as fence sitters but gave its moral support to the resolution (no confidence motion),” it stated.
In a tweet, activist Anjali Damania said, “My blood is boiling. Height of shamelessness of Shiv Sena, NCP & Congress. 105 against 5 in No Confidence Motion of NMMC Commissioner Tukaram Munde.
