Somaiya-versus-Parab fight intensifies, spills over on streets of Bandra East

Somaiya, who has been haranguing Parab about his ‘illegal office’ in Gandhinagar, a MHADA housing society at Bandra East, announced on Twitter that it had been demolished by the authorities and that he would visit the place on Tuesday.

Mumbai: The MHADA headquarters at Bandra East witnessed some dramatic scenes as BJP leader Kirit Somaiya stepped up his attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab, a close aide of party chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Somaiya and Parab have been locked in a head-on collision for a long time now. The former BJP MP earlier accused Parab of illegal construction in Ratnagiri as well, citing a resort at Dapoli. Parab, on his part, denied any connection with it. The ongoing tussle is likely to intensify in the run-up to the civic polls, as the BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) lock horns in the bitter fight to win India’s richest civic body. (Vijay Bate/HT PHOTO)

Somaiya, who has been haranguing Parab about his ‘illegal office’ in Gandhinagar, a MHADA housing society at Bandra East, announced on Twitter that it had been demolished by the authorities and that he would visit the place on Tuesday. Parab, who has denied that the place belongs to him, went on the offensive by landing up at the MHADA office with Shiv Sena (UBT) workers and compelled officials to issue a letter stating that he was not involved in any illegal construction.

Somaiya and Parab have been locked in a head-on collision for a long time now. The former BJP MP earlier accused Parab of illegal construction in Ratnagiri as well, citing a resort at Dapoli. Parab, on his part, denied any connection with it. The ongoing tussle is likely to intensify in the run-up to the civic polls, as the BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) lock horns in the bitter fight to win India’s richest civic body.

Even as Somaiya indicated that further action would be taken against Parab, Sena workers gathered at Bandra East. To avoid any untoward incident, the police stopped Somaiya from going to the area. Later, Sena workers entered the MHADA office and protested against Somaiya and the MHADA officers who they accused of working for him.

After much drama, Parab came out with a clean chit issued by MHADA. “In Gandhi Nagar, Bandra (East), between building numbers 57 and 58, on examining the file regarding the illegal construction in the MHADA office, it was found that (it) has nothing to do with MLC Anil Parab,” said MHADA’s letter signed by Milind Borikar, chief officer of the Mumbai board.

Speaking to the media, Parab said that the alleged illegal structure was demolished by the housing society itself after a notice from MHADA, which had rejected the society’s application to regularise the structure. “MHADA, in its letter, also stated that the notice it had issued to me on November 27, 2020, was withdrawn on June 27, 2021,” he said. “Residents of the Kailash society and Ravi Kiran society in Gandhinagar had themselves demolished the structure after the notice from MHADA.”

Parab said that the societies comprised people from the low-income group, who lived in homes of 220 square feet. “There are many such small extensions in all 56 MHADA colonies,” he said. “If MHADA now demolishes all extensions across the 56 colonies, Somaiya and BJP will be responsible for targeting Marathi residents to benefit the builders they are working for.”

The Sena leader added that he had asked MHADA for the original plan of the building but they did not have it. “On what basis was the decision of it being unauthorised taken then?” he demanded. “If I don’t get the plan in eight days as promised, I will file a case against MHADA.”