5 AMIM corporators may lose membership, MLA cries 'communal ideology'

Five AIMIM corporators in the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) may lose their membership for allegedly abusing and "forcing" civic officials to raze a structure near Damdi Mahal recently. Mayor Nandkumar Ghodele (Shiv Sena) directed the municipal commissioner to initiate proceeding to cancel the membership of the five corporators after a special General Body meeting was held yesterday to discuss the incident.

While Sena and BJP corporators joined hands to move the proposal against the corporators yesterday, the MIM members staged a walkout as soon as the mayor read the ruling. The NCP and Congress corporators remained silent. About two weeks ago, the issue of demolition of a house was raised by the MIM corporators, who wanted the structure to be razed claiming that it was built illegally and was coming in the way of widening the 100 feet road.

Sena members alleged that the five AIMIM corporators Feroz Khan, Naser Khan, Zameer Ahmed Qadri, Sarwat Begum and Sajeda Farooqui pressurised and abused the AMC officials during the anti-encroachment drive. Addressing reporters here today, local AIMIM MLA Imtiyaz Jaleel said the mayor proposed cancellation of membership of the corporators as they belonged to a particular community.

"Two of our corporators are jailed as they demanded clean water and its equal distribution in the city whereas five others are proposed for disqualification by the mayor for helping the removal of the illegal construction for widening a road only because they belonged to a particular community," the MLA said.

He said AIMIM would launch a protest against such "anti-development ideology" of some parties. Jaleel said the mayor's proposal was "based on a communal ideology". Countering Sena's claim that the structure was built on the land of Revenue department, he said the concerned house owner didn't have the requisite documents. He accused the mayor of "misusing" his office for "shielding" illegal structures and proposing cancellation of the membership of the five corporators.

Jaleel said the local MP (Sena) and state BJP president (Raosaheb Danve) were allegedly involved in pressurising the AMC officials on the issue. He justified the presence of AIMIM corporators at the site near Damdi Mahal for "maintaining peace and harmony". "More than 150 legal properties were removed for widening the road. The property owners were not given any substitute land. However, instead of lauding the efforts of AIMIM corporators, the AMC mayor is proposing cancellation of their corporatoship," the MLA said.

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