Vasai-Virar: Ashok Gajanan Shelke, a Municipal Councillor and Group Leader representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVMC), has submitted a formal letter to the VVMC Commissioner demanding that contracts for Ganeshotsav arrangements be awarded exclusively to Hindu contractors.
In the letter submitted on September 10, 2026, Shelke highlighted that the Ganeshotsav festival is deeply tied to the faith, religious traditions and sentiments of the Hindu community in the region. He emphasised that the immense gathering of devotees at immersion (visarjan) sites makes these locations highly sensitive.
Key demands raised
Key Demands Raised in the Representation:
Religious sensitivity over lowest bids: Shelke urged the administration not to evaluate contracts solely on financial terms when awarding tenders for mandaps, barricading and other logistics. Instead, priority must be given to religious and cultural considerations.
Mandatory verification of workers: The BJP leader demanded that details of every labourer hired by contractors undergo mandatory police verification and be documented with the municipal corporation.
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Security and law and order concerns: Expressing concern over untracked and temporary migrant workers brought in from other states by non-Hindu contractors, Shelke warned of potential risks to law and order, untoward incidents or mismanagement during the festival.
Exclusion of non-Hindu contractors: Citing local religious traditions, the sanctity of the festival and public safety, Shelke requested that contracts related to immersion arrangements not be awarded to non-Hindu individuals or firms.
The letter concludes with a request to grant contracts strictly to Hindu contractors to maintain peace, ensure security and respect the religious sentiments of devotees during the upcoming festival.
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