Mayor Sole, MLA Deshmukh face hostility of ditched, dodged, enraged weeklong persons

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The backlash was the result of frequent backtracking of assurances on the part of NMC Administration and NMC office-bearers towards various demands of handicapped persons.

DSC_1731Nagpur News: Mayor Anil Sole and BJP MLA Sudhakar Deshmukh on Tuesday faced wrath of mentally tough weeklong persons. The handicapped brethren stopped the cars of both Mayor and the MLA at Main Entry Gate of NMC Headquarters in Civil Lines and did not allow them to enter the office. In the melee, Deshmukh’s guard and driver heckled the weeklong persons and anyhow managed to slip into NMC office building. The Mayor doled out assurances in meeting their  demands and thus managed free himself from the “Siege.”

Hundreds of weeklong persons had come to the NMC HQ for their various works. However, the security guards, deployed at the Main Entry Gate, stopped them at the gate itself giving reason as Mayor’s order. The crowd of handicapped persons, not to be outdone, resorted to stopping cars of Mayor Anil Sole and MLA Sudhakar Deshmukh and laid a “siege.” Both Mayor and the MLA got the taste of spirited weeklong brethren for failing to fulfill their promises on various demands of the handicapped persons.

The President of Vidarbha Weeklong Sangharsh Samiti Giridhar Bhajbuje said that there are 16,000-17,000 weeklong persons in the city and around 80,000 family members depend on them. They frequently visit the NMC HQ for their genuine works. Some visit for NOC to their shops and other works.

“Today’s backlash was the result of frequent backtracking of assurances on the part of NMC Administration in providing sheds for various small scale businesses to weeklong persons like the same provided to “Gathai Kamgar” (sort of semi-skilled labours) including cobblers and shoemakers, blacksmith, locksmith (repairing locks, keys), tailors and others, Bhajbuje said.

“The then Mayor Archana Dehankar had assured us of providing sheds for small scale businesses like given to “Gathai Kamgar.” However, the concerned officials have pushed the files under their weight and meting out injustice to us. The present Mayor Anil Sole had on August 3, 2013 also assured and even directed the officials to find suitable land and other places for the sheds. But the Zone-level officials have not moved an inch in this direction despite over six months of period. The Vidarbha Weeklong Sangharsh Samiti members in large numbers visit the NMC every month and return back fooled and empty handed. Just 15 days ago, the weeklong held demonstrations at entry gates of Headquarters. The officials again assured that in the coming 15 days a concrete decision would be taken in this regard. The Estate Officer D D Jambhulkar assured that he will get information from Zone-level and come up with final decision. But till today, nothing has been done to provide justice to us,” Bhajbuje lamented.

DSC_1724“Some 20-30 weeklong persons have submitted applications to NMC Administration demanding tricycles. This work is done at NMC HQ. The Samiti members were taking rounds and rounds of NMC HQ for meeting their demands but the Administration and office-bearers as well have been doling out only assurances for the past one month,” Bhajbuje said.

Today, when the handicapped persons came to Mayor, other office-bearers, and officials, the security guards on the orders of Mayor, stopped them at Main Entry Gate and did not allow them to enter the NMC HQ premises despite several pleas. However, the weeklong brethren came to know that MLA Sudhakar Deshmukh was coming through gate of Administrative Building, Bhajbuje himself and handicapped persons stopped the car of Deshmukh, they were pushed and heckled by Deshmukh’s guard and driver. After sometime, Mayor Anil Sole’s car was also stopped. The Mayor again assured them that a discussion with NMC Commissioner will be held and their demands would be fulfilled. After the assurance, the Mayor too slipped away from the spot.

The outraged Bhajbuje warned that if the demands of handicapped persons are not met before enforcement of poll code of conduct, the 80,000 strong voters will teach the BJP a bitter lesson. However, taking advantage of the situation, the AAP leader Mohan Karemore invited the weeklong persons for a talk.