OFF THE RECORD review on some of today’s headlines-Vikrant Joshi/ www.vikrantjoshi.com
1. BMC recovers Rs. 2cr, seizes goods worth Rs. 30cr from illegal hawkers.
Every normal person living in Mumbai knows that if any sales tax/income tax/BMC/weights & measurement/or any other agency conducts raids & seizes goods, the declared amount or the quantity is not the actual amount that is seized. It is always two fold the amount that is declared. The undeclared amount is distributed amongst the raiding team and a very small portion is allowed to be retained by the party. This is the reason if you observe many people want to get transferred in the “Enforcement Department” of their respective teams. Also, being a Mumbaikar my job is to travel by roads. Will cite the example of Bandra-linking road. This road even today, is full of illegal hawkers. Iron lady Dr. Pallavi Darade was the only IRS officer who cleaned the “baba siddique” supported hawkers a year ago, until then even I didn’t know after staying so long, it had two lanes. None of the hawkers were to be seen for days, but again after 2 months, they again clogged the road. What happened at the top & how was it regularised still remains a mystery even to the dashing AMC. Whenever the municipality van is approaching all of them hide their stuff either in neighbouring buildings or nearby nullah’s..So my point is, it is nothing great the BMC has done.
2. Bhujbal back in Jail, needs tests
As soon as personal attacks on Dr. Hemant Gupta and questioning in regard to the working style of JJ rose, Bhujbal is sent back to the jail. Now tell me, one of the best hospitals of the country where daily lakhs & lakhs of people flock every year for treatments, that hospitals does not have 3 important machines to test a patient? Dean, where you waiting for media’s intervention to give a clean chit to Bhujbal? How about instead of getting CM, puppet Mahajan & Amitabh Bachchan to clean JJ & spending monies to create an event out of it, just order these machines?
3. Babu’s neta’s societies pocket state’s rent share, put on notice…
Dr. Ashwini Joshi , Collector of Greater Mumbai, who has slapped notices on buildings where the IAS & IPS reside in South Mumbai, is also one of the resident of the same building. Reason for slapping notice is that some of the shops or ground floor properties of these buildings are rented to banks/gyms/beauty parlours (don’t ask reasons for dodgy parlours, not everyone can afford a Bangkok trip) and the societies haven’t shared their incomes from these sublet properties with the government. But Madam, I will provide some extended information to you. There are bureaucrats who have flats allotted to themselves, but never stay there as they have already claimed other bungalows or flats in other societies closer to Mantralaya. Then this empty property is given on rent to struggling actors/actresses/models. Remember Dr. Satyapal Singh (ex-CP Mumbai) & porn CD racket episode in one of his flat at Juhu? Then at Bandra, another building exactly opposite the FDA, is a classic example. That plot was managed and a building only for IAS & IPS is standing tall there. Again, a 5000 sq.ft bank is fully operational which gives them rent & the entire society is “maintenance free”. Guess who were the usual suspects? By the way, One Collector, One flat was the funda of this scheme. Sangitrao & Chahande are having flats in this building.
4. After Sena’s surgical strike, BJP ask’s if their chief has 56-inch chest
Now this is sheer out of animosity between Ashish Shelar & the Shivsena. On one hand, we read how CM Devendra Fadnavis is trying to cope with the Sainiks and extending an olive branch to maintain relationship with SS, and on the other we hear such stories. Now Somayya has also jumped in to side Shelar. Is it a faction against Devendra Fadnavis? On one hand, he has to tackle Sena, on the other side he has to face troubles like Maratha rallies, draught, manage NCP/Congress, fight internal fights within the party, tackle leaders like Khadse, Tawde, Pankaja Munde & last but not the least develop Maharashtra. Some Karmic intervention needed for the CM desperately.
5. Khadse, Bhujbal supporters bet on Pankaja to lead OBCs
Are Khadse, or Mahadev Jankar or Bhujbal the only representatives of the OBC’s? If Khadse says, he looks at Pankaja is OBC’s leader, your attention should be drawn on December 2014. He had given full support to Devendra Fadnavis as CM of our state, but later through his relied media sources, kept on criticising CM & addressing him as “bachha” and exposing his inadequateness frequently. So Pankaja, beware, today Khadse is not in his best days, the minute he walks out of his trouble, he will claim the leadership of the OBC’s.
6. Will take at least 8 years to change face of Bhendi Bazaar-Project’s architect
Only if “Bhai from Pakistan” gives a go ahead!! Otherwise the project won’t be kickstarted, for sure. In Bhendi-bazaar, the BMC guys struggle to put a pipeline, let alone be the redevelopment.
7. Pawar meets Modi, pitches for Maratha quota
Those making a big thing out of this, mind you if my sources in Delhi are to be believed, Pawar & Modi meet regularly. The meeting happens once or twice in a month. This is because, Pawar who is a veteran in Agriculture and been in this ministry for long, is often asked to give his advice when anything important in this sector is discussed at the Ministry level. Such is the charm & experience of senior Pawar which is also respected by Modi.
8.’ खड्डेमुक्त महाराष्ट्रा ‘ साठी सरकारच्या डोक्यावर बसा-उद्धव ठाकरे
UT, being a novice here, aren’t roads of entire Maharashtra (leave bridges on one side) responsibility of local Municipal Corporations & Councils & ZP’s? In our state, all the corporations & the council’s & the ZP’s are controlled by various parties. But again, if you see roads in the Western Maharashtra or even Konkan or the in North Maharashtra upto Dhule are in very good conditions. Wherever there was concentration of “overall” power roads & infrastructure of that region have developed. Like in western Maharashtra the Pawar’s, Shinde’s, Deshmukh’s have made excellent roads, in North Maharashtra people like Bhujbal & Khadse have made tolerant roads. Only exception is our Vidharbha! There was never an able or strong leaderships there even if we had couple of Chief Ministers there. But what about Thane & Mumbai sir? After all the whole world has eyes on these two twin cities rather than Akola or a Ahmednagar. Also, MEP & IRB the main road contractors of our state are victims of politicians, they want to do the good work but local people or the political scenario is such that it often tranquillises them.
