Straight Talk

Pradeep Ramteke

     Editor-in-chief 

        MLAs receive a development fund of ₹5 crore annually. Additionally, they draw a fixed monthly salary, a constituency allowance, and an allowance for office expenses. 

         Given this, the fact that the MLA representing the Chimur constituency has set up a party public relations office in a government-owned shop unit raises a baffling question: have these MLAs—who consider themselves multi-millionaires—actually become beggars? 

         It is a tragic state of affairs that the Municipal Council President, Vice-President, Councilors, and the Chief Officer have deliberately turned a blind eye to the BJP’s unauthorized public relations office operating in these government shop units for years; by doing so, they are flouting the law, trampling upon their duties, and extending illegal cooperation to the MLA and BJP office-bearers. 

        It is unbecoming of the office of an MLA for a multi-millionaire legislator like Kirtikumar Bhangdia to blatantly violate the law and establish a party public relations office in a government-owned shop unit. 

         Furthermore, utilizing a government shop unit for a party public relations office effectively challenges the very legitimacy of the MLA’s position and undermines the dignity of the office itself. 

                 Moreover, the insistence on using a government shop unit for the party’s public relations office raises even more serious concerns. MLA Kirtikumar Bhangdia cannot claim that the government-owned shop unit is not his public relations office; his daily operations and public interactions have been conducted from this very location for years.

Government Shop Units…

        Government shop units are allocated according to regulations to economically disadvantaged, unemployed, and aspiring individuals to help them start businesses. However, it has come to light that in Chimur, some extremely wealthy individuals have usurped these units in violation of the rules, effectively flouting the established regulations.

       Furthermore, there is widespread talk in Chimur that those who illegally acquired these government units have rented them out to others for business purposes, while some have even sold the units unlawfully.

          A glaring example of this is the government shop unit registered in the name of retired professor Mr. Suresh Narhari Lachalwar, which—astonishingly—is being used as the BJP’s public relations office; thousands of citizens witness this daily.

         Consequently, the residents of Chimur believe that if the allottees are misusing these government units, the Municipal Council should cancel the allotment process and take the units back into its possession. They also demand that criminal action be taken against the individuals involved.

Action Must Be Taken…

       Since a political party’s public relations office has been set up in a government shop unit, the general public feels that Chimur Municipal Council Chief Officer Archana Vanjari should take timely legal action against MLA Kirtikumar Bhangdia, his party office-bearers, and the allottee, retired professor Mr. Suresh Narhari Lachalwar. BJP in Power…

        The BJP holds power in the Chimur Municipal Council. Consequently, the ruling BJP representatives ought to discharge their duties in accordance with the rules and play a pivotal role in removing the party’s public relations office from the municipal-owned shop premises.

         Since they hold their positions—Councilor, Council President, Vice-President, or Committee Chairperson—by virtue of the law, the law dictates that they must comply with regulations and promptly remove the BJP’s public relations office from the municipal property.

         Citizens should not be left with the impression that illegal practices have become the norm within the Chimur Municipal Council.

Stifling of Rules…

         The Chief Officer of the Chimur Municipal Council possesses the authority to remove the BJP’s public relations office from the municipal premises and should do so.

        Failure to act would create the perception that the Chief Officer is suppressing rules and duties to favor the ruling MLA.

      They must not overlook the fact that this could trigger public outrage. Furthermore, it is certain that complaints against them would be lodged with the District Collector of Chandrapur.