Thane: The women's wing of the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday, February 20 staged a protest against the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) assistant commissioner (Encroachment) Mahesh Aher over viral audio clip wherein he talks about harming NCP leader Jitendra Awhad's family.
The women party workers and leaders demanded Aher be booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. They also sought Aher's dismissal from service and and alleged that he is linked to various illegal activities happening in the city especially in the menace of unabated illicit construction.
The women marched to TMC headquarters wearing black band and held placards with slogans and their demands written.
Thane-Palghar president of NCP Mahila Congress and Jitendra's wife, Ruta Awhad alleged that, "There is lot of evidence against Mahesh Aher, a video of his aide counting money in his cabin also went viral but no action was initiated. Some TMC officials are involved in extorting money from builders for illegal constructions."
She further said, "Recently Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced that he did not go to meet Mahesh Aher at Jupiter Hospital in Thane where he is undergoing treatment. If CM is giving the message that he is not with Mahesh Aher then why is there no action against him? If Mahesh Aher is forgiven this time, people will not forgive you."
Vikrant Chavan, Thane city Congress chief said, " It is really sad that a man who has only cleared grade 11 has been promoted as TMC's assistant commissioner for encroachment department. Since Aher was appointed as assistant commissioner the unauthorized constructions have been increasing in Thane. Jitendra Awhad, Sanjay Kelkar and I have been flagging the issue which is why Aher is threatening us."
Chavan claimed that they had also lodged complaint with Anti-Extortion Squad yet no action was taken. "If threats are being made to MLA's daughter, it will not be tolerated. Now the women and girls of our house are not safe. We demand that case under MCOCA should be filed against Mahesh Aher," he said.
Among those who took part in the protest were NCP city president Sujata Ghag, working president Surekha Patil, former corporators Aparna Salvi, Manisha Salvi, Varsha More, Ankita Shinde, NCP women vice president Rachna Vaidya and Congress women workers.
