In an incident which is all set to trigger a major controversy, Geeta Jain, an independent legislator who has lent her support to the BJP, slapped a junior engineer from ward number six of the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) in Kashimira on Tuesday. The incident, captured on a video clip, quickly went viral on social media platforms, eliciting mixed responses from local citizens.
The junior engineer, identified as Shubham Patil, is employed on a contractual basis through a private agency contracted by the civic administration.
Watch the video here:
Jain Shares A Video Message After The Incident
Shortly after the incident took place, MLA Geeta Jain shared a video message on her Twitter handle. In the video message, Jain shared the details about the incident that led her to slap the engineer in public. Narrating about how the civic body engineers were carrying out unlawful demolition of houses in the area, Jain said that she interfered for the good.
Upon confronting the engineers over the demolition, Jain found that one of them was laughing on the poor condition of the dwellers there. Hence she slapped him over his act of disrespect. Jain further said that she is committed for the well-being of the citizens in her constituency and will always look after their betterment.
What exactly happened?
The incident took place in the Penkarpada area of Kashimira, where the MBMC's anti-encroachment squad, led by Patil, was carrying out a demolition of a tenement on June 16th. Allegedly, the engineer and his team forcefully evicted the occupants, including a six-month-old toddler and elderly individuals, amid heavy rain.
Infuriated by the reported autocratic and inhumane behavior displayed by the MBMC team, Geeta Jain arrived at the scene and confronted the engineer and his colleague, identified as Soni. Jain reminded them about a government resolution (GR) that prohibits the civic body from demolishing residential structures during the monsoon season.
No regrets, says Geeta Jain
Geeta Jain expressed her strong dissatisfaction with the engineer's behavior, stating, "While the family members living in the tenement were crying, this engineer was shamelessly laughing as I was seeking an explanation. I could not tolerate such brazen heartlessness, and I slapped him. I have no regrets about it and am prepared to face any consequences."
Both the junior engineer and his superiors, including the municipal commissioner, were unavailable for comment at the time of this report being filed. As per the latest information, no formal complaint has been registered against the legislator.
Allegations of MBMC working at behest of a builder
The tenement that was demolished had been subject to road widening work a few years ago. Subsequently, the owner received official approval to relocate to a private plot with the builder's consent. However, it was alleged that the owner had made unauthorised extensions to the tenement, which prompted the MBMC team to take action. There were allegations that the team intended to demolish the entire structure based on the influence of another builder who owned a piece of land in the same layout.
