MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 13: Expressing disbelief in Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, representative groups of traders, trade unions and tenants today threatened to stage a Mumbai bandh if the government didn't give a written assurance by February 20 that it wouldn't enact the ``new anti-tenant Rent Control Act.''In a meeting held this afternoon at Karsan Ladubhai Hall, Dadar, hundreds of traders, union workers and tenants backed this demand made by the Action Committee for Protection of Tenants' Rights, Federation of Associations of Maharashtra and the Trade Unions' Joint Action Committee.
The meeting, which lasted for nearly three hours, witnessed the voicing of tenants' concerns and the shouting of slogans upholding tenants' unity. All political parties were warned to stay away from the committee's struggle, and it was demanded that details about buildings and properties owned by politicians be made public.
Chandrashekhar Prabhu of the committee said, ``Both the Sharad Pawarand Manohar Joshi governments have cheated tenants." The Shiv Sena-BJP present government has informed the Supreme Court that the new Rent Control Act, providing an increase in rent, will be enacted by March 31, 1998. However, Joshi told presspersons that the rent wouldn't be increased by a rupee. We don't need Thackeray to take out a morcha for us. We will be making our agitation more aggressive, but no politician should join us.''
Prabhu also alleged that three Congress leaders, two leaders each from the Samajwadi Party and Janata Dal and many Shiv Sena-BJP leaders have purchased buildings in and around Dadar. Hence, they were inactive in opposing the proposed Rent Control Act, he charged.
Mohan Gurunani and Rai Chand alleged that Joshi and his cabinet colleagues were applying the ``divide and rule'' policy to various members of the committee. ``But we will remain united,'' they asserted.
P R Krishnan and Golandaz of the Maharashtra State Committee Centre of Indian Trade Unions said the workers'community was with tenants and would take the issue to the roads if necessary. Vitthal Ghag, an employee of Khatau Mills, said workers weren't interested in Mumbai's transformation into Singapore if they had no roof on their heads.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
