BMC withdraws order barring officials from speaking to media

Mumbai: A day after issuing it, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday withdrew a circular stating that only the civic chief and additional municipal commissioners were authorised to speak to the media

Mumbai: A day after issuing it, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday withdrew a circular stating that only the civic chief and additional municipal commissioners were authorised to speak to the media.

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During an informal briefing with media persons, BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said all assistant commissioners, zonal deputy municipal commissioners, joint municipal commissioners, additional commissioners and municipal chief will be allowed to provide information to the media. A revised circular will be issued by Wednesday to revoke Monday’s order.

It was learnt in the civic circles that a certain zonal deputy municipal commissioner had divulged information to the media that contradicted the BMC chief’s statements, which in turn had affected the image of the corporation.

However, sources disclosed that during Chahal’s meeting with chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, a minister had objected to not getting due credit for some of the ongoing civic works. This resulted in Monday’s circular stating that any officer below the rank of additional municipal commissioner will not be authorised to give information about BMC’s ongoing projects to the media.

The circular had invited criticism from former corporators across party lines.

Rais Shaikh, MLA and Samajwadi Party leader, had tweeted, “They may try to control through such orders but today the cadre will defy this in the interest of BMC and Mumbai city. You may threaten us but we will keep exposing. This is Hitler Raj in #BMC.”

Ravi Raja, former leader of the opposition in the BMC, said, “This order from a local self-government was undemocratic. The commissioner does not meet the press, nor does he meet citizens frequently. Ultimately, Mumbaikars will not know what is going on in the BMC and where their money is going? There will be no transparency and accountability, which is an important matter for the people of Mumbai.”