A Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation meeting descended into an uproar on September 21 after mayor Harshali Chaudhary stopped Maharashtra Navnirman Sena corporator Prahlad Mhatre from opening a discussion on municipal shop rentals with a devotional verse. The dispute came during consideration of a proposal to lease two corporation-owned shops at Kalyan West’s Sahajanand Chowk for 10 years.
Mhatre, a corporator from Dombivli and a scholar of saint literature, has regularly used lines from devotional verses to introduce civic and development issues in the corporation’s general body. According to the report, he has followed this practice for the past eight months while raising matters related to civic problems and increasing the corporation’s income.
As the proposal concerning the two shops was taken up, Mhatre began reciting a verse. The mayor instructed him to proceed directly to the subject without reciting it. Mhatre requested permission to say only a few lines before starting the discussion, but Chaudhary opposed the request and rang the warning bell in the chamber. The exchange led to a commotion among councillors.
The proposal involves two constructed municipal premises measuring 752 square metres and 882 square metres at Sahajanand Chowk. The shops were proposed to be leased to Shahbaz Salim Sheikh under provisions of the municipal law for a period of 10 years.
Mhatre questioned the proposed annual rent of Rs 59,056 for the two premises. The report stated that the property had an assessed value of Rs 10.39 lakh and that, given the location of the shops, the proposed rent was too low. Mhatre argued that the premises should be leased at a higher rate so that the corporation could increase its revenue.
The matter had also appeared before the general body during a meeting that was adjourned the previous week. The proposed leasing of the two shops brought the question of municipal asset valuation and rental pricing back before the corporation for approval.
The report said Mhatre’s presentations, often introduced through devotional verses, are usually received positively in the chamber. It also referred to the earlier practice of former Shiv Sena corporator Vaman Mhatre, who would begin discussions with verses or couplets.
MNS corporators in the chamber are aligned with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, according to the report. The immediate dispute, however, centred on the conduct of the meeting and the proposed rent for the two municipal premises. The general body’s consideration of the 10-year lease proposal was the next formal step identified in the report.
