Meeting over Mumbai racecourse comes to blows...and bangles

Bangles were delivered, heated arguments erupted and blows were exchanged at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) meeting on Tuesday over the mayor’s decision to convert a portion of the Mahalaxmi racecourse land into a theme park. According to a report in the Indian Express , three women corporators from rival parties in the BMC came to blows when one of them opposed the mayor’s decision to convert part of the racecourse into a theme park. The 225-acre racecourse  lies in the heart of Mumbai and the extension of its lease has acquired a political dimension. The Shiv Sena has opposed the extension of the lease, which ended on 31 May, and wants it to be turned into a garden or theme park. They have indicated their intention to erect a memorial of late Bal Thackeray there as well. [caption id=“attachment_906345” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A file photo of races at the Mumbai racecourse. AFP image[/caption] According to a report in The Hindu , the Sena-Bhartiya Janata Party-ruled BMC passed a proposal approving the extension of the lease. It was minutes after mayor Sunil Prabhu agreed to the park proposal that Congress corporator Sheetal Mhatre walked up to him and placed her bangles on his desk in a symbolic display of emasculation. She accused the mayor of being partial by not letting the opposition speak. Angered Shiv Sena corporators Yamini Hadhav and Kishori Pednekar got into an argument with Mhatre and attacked her. Other corporators had to intervene to bring the situation under control. Mhatre has claimed that her Shiv Sena counterpart ‘was drunk’ when she attacked her. “This is how the Sena reacts to every issue,” Mhatre was quoted as saying in the Indian Express. The mayor, on the other hand, denied the allegations against his party councillors and placed the blame squarely on Mhatre for inciting the violence. Mhatre was supported by the Opposition leader Dnyanraj Nikam, and the party plans to file a police complaint against the Sena corporators,  the Indian Express article reported. According to a report in the Times of India , the notice of motion on the racecourse will be forwarded to municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte, who will throw light on the legal position, and it will then be sent back to the general body for debate.