E-Paper
The mayor, his wishes and how they came to naught
WHAT REMAINED an unfulfilled wish ? to set up Amar Jawan Jyoti Smriti ? for Mayor Anil Sharma before quitting the post on November 29, is all set to take the limelight once again.
WHAT REMAINED an unfulfilled wish — to set up Amar Jawan Jyoti Smriti — for Mayor Anil Sharma before quitting the post on November 29, is all set to take the limelight once again.
The High Court allowed mayors of 11 municipal corporations to take charge till the end of the tenure of the House, counted from the first meeting, five years ago.
Sharma had to leave office following a State Government order appointing administrators in place of Mayors on November 29. He then tried to install Amar Jawan Jyoti Smriti at the Ashok Nagar Crossing, as his proposal to install statue of his father Late Ratan Sharma was protested by many corporators. However, luck did not favour him, as the second proposal of the Amar Jawan Jyoti Smriti also backfired and resulted in protest from BJP corporator Aarti Dixit and residents.
Dixit wanted installation of Lord Shiva’s statue at the crossing, which was even installed. However, the police intervened and immediately got the statue removed.
By the time, the Mayor even held confidential meetings with KMC officials about his proposal to set up Amar Jawan Jyoti Smriti. He even made plans to lay the foundation stone of the same on November 26, few days before he was to leave the post. However, probably following pressure and some intelligence reports, the Mayor had to shun his plan.
But after resuming charge, the Mayor has openly made his intentions clear to ensure setting up of Amar Jawan Jyoti Smriti probably before his term expires on January 22. The Mayor at a hurriedly called executive committee meeting on December 31 even presented a proposal. The same was passed by the executive committee. However, it is set to boil into a controversy once again, as the BJP corporator Aarti Dixit in an informal chat with mediapersons here today said that at no cost Amar Jawan Jyoti Smriti would be allowed to be set up.
She said residents would also meet Army personnel and apprise them about a pious flame burning at the crossing. She said how could one remove a pious flame from the crossing and hurt sentiments of so many people to set up Amar Jawan Jyoti.
She also questioned the passing of the resolution by the executive committee as the earlier resolution was passed by the House and the executive committee could not pass another resolution on the same, by-passing the House resolution.
Whatever is the outcome, but it seems clear that the Mayor’s last wish before he quits office would once again take centrestage which might affect development issues.
