Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The peace committee meeting, organised to ensure coordination among approximately 900 Ganesh Mandals within the city and police commissionerate limits, turned into a venue for heated arguments and political drama this year instead of transparent discussion. For the first time in the last 25 years, MPs, MLAs, the Mayor, and over 100 corporators from all political parties gave the meeting a miss. A wave of anger spread because the Ganesh Mahasangh, an organisation with a historic legacy spanning 103 years, had missed the names of several persons in the invitation card. Moreover, the meeting was wrapped up without addressing the core planning for the Ganesh festival, creating a situation where there was 'discord within the peace committee' itself on Sunday.
Political absence at meeting
The meeting scheduled for 10 am began with a delay of two hours. Moreover, citing a subsequent engagement, the Guardian Minister wrapped up the proceedings after hearing the views of only 12 to 14 people. With serious issues left undiscussed, questions are now being raised about how the festival will proceed without a hitch.
Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat, Deputy Mayor Rajendra Janjal, former MP Chandrakant Khaire, and former Deputy Mayor Nandkumar Ghodele were present at this meeting, along with officials from the Municipal Corporation, the District Collector's office, Mahavitaran, and the Food and Drug Administration.
Invitation row sparks controversy
The Special Branch of the police department is entrusted with the responsibility to maintain coordination between police, citizens, and social organisations. The primary objective of this meeting is to bring all political parties and organisations onto a common platform to resolve issues through dialogue. However, on this occasion, a controversy unfolded regarding the invitations. There is speculation that this stems from the police acting overzealously and leaning towards the ruling dispensation.
An invitation card had been printed for the organised peace committee meeting. Although the list included leaders and office-bearers from various city political parties, only Guardian Minister Sanjay Shirsat and Deputy Mayor Rajendra Janjal out of the dozen leaders listed actually attended the meeting. Notably, the BJP's 57 corporators, the mayor, one MLA, and one minister were also absent.
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Festival concerns left unaddressed
The key issues of potholes on the roads during the Ganesh idol immersion, law and order, electricity supply, cleanliness, inspection of the food articles, water supply in immersion wells and others were skipped during the meeting.
