BMC mayor Tawde dismisses LOP Pednekar’s demand for security guard

The LOP specifically asked for one municipal security guard outside her chamber in two shifts, morning and afternoon, and requested that the necessary instructions be issued to the chief security officer. Incidentally, the request was subsequent to a similar request made by Tawde for her own security

MUMBAI: A fresh disagreement erupted at the BMC on Monday after Kishori Pednekar, leader of the opposition (LOP), wrote to the civic administration seeking deployment of security personnel outside her office chamber, a demand that Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has termed “invalid”.

BMC mayor Tawde dismisses LOP Pednekar’s demand for security guard

Pednekar, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, who was recently elected LOP in the civic body, wrote a letter to municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, requesting security arrangements outside her chamber. Stating that she received a large number of visitors daily, she referred to a recent incident in which an individual entered her office chamber and raised a ruckus. Such incidents needed to be prevented, she said, and therefore she wanted adequate security arrangements.

The LOP specifically asked for one municipal security guard outside her chamber in two shifts, morning and afternoon, and requested that the necessary instructions be issued to the chief security officer. Incidentally, the request was subsequent to a similar request made by Tawde for her own security.

Pednekar’s request triggered a sharp response from Tawde, who questioned the propriety of the LOP making such a demand through a letter. Addressing the media on Monday, Tawde said, “I can use my authority as the presiding officer and ask for security. The Leader of the Opposition has no authority under the law to make such requests.” Calling the demand “invalid”, she said that Pednekar should instead raise valid questions related to issues affecting citizens like roads and cleaning of nallahs.

The mayor clarified that her request for security was based on practical needs. “Nearly 300 people come to meet me every day. I have requested one security guard for my chamber,” she said, adding that there was a shortage of six staff members in her office. “Currently only four staffers are available,” she said. “I have asked the administration to appoint additional workers on a contractual basis to manage the workload.”