Gopal Shetty shaves head over demolition of 27 homes in Borivali East, targets BMC and BJP leaders

Former BJP MP Gopal Shetty shaved his head in protest against the demolition of 27 homes in Borivali East. He alleged that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) acted in haste and did not give residents enough time to remove their belongings.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Shetty said he shaved his head to show solidarity with the families who had lost their homes. He called the action of November 4 a "mockery of democracy". He also accused the local BJP leadership of not standing by the affected families.

The BMC demolished 27 homes on a 3,400 sq m plot on Swami Vivekananda Road in Borivali East, which is reserved for a BEST bus station. The action followed a reprimand from the Supreme Court, which had pulled up the corporation for failing to remove the encroachments despite earlier directions.

Shetty said: "I have never seen such an action in my public life. Even a man like Ajmal Kasab, who carried out the 26/11 terror attack, got eight years to face trial and the chance to approach the President after being convicted."

According to him, residents received notices at around 1.30 am on November 4 and their homes were demolished by 7 am, leaving them very little time to remove their belongings.

The former MP also questioned how the BMC presented the matter before the Supreme Court. He alleged that although the court had sought the relevant documents, the corporation did not submit copies of the notices issued to residents and their replies.

Shetty claimed the affected families had lived on the land for about 50 years and held property tax bills. He described the plot as private land and alleged that wrong information was placed before the court. He appealed to the judiciary to examine the conduct of the officials involved.

The Supreme Court had pulled up the BMC and ordered that the November salaries of Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and the officials concerned be withheld. It had also initiated contempt proceedings. The BMC later told the court that the structures had been removed, after which the direction on salaries and the contempt notice were withdrawn.

After the controversy, the corporation issued show-cause notices to R-Central ward Assistant Commissioner Praful Tambe and law officer Komal Punjabi over alleged administrative lapses. It also handed charge of its law department to someone else.

Besides the civic administration, Shetty openly expressed displeasure with his party's local leadership. He alleged that BJP leaders from North Mumbai neither visited the affected families nor supported him in the agitation. He said: "I am certainly upset with my party. I will not hide it. I have worked day and night to build the party, and if some people now think they own it, that is not right."

Shetty announced that he would stay away from the BJP's political events, including the Mumbai unit's annual Diwali Milan. He said, however, that he would continue to attend social events. He also said he plans to raise the issue with the BJP's central leadership in Delhi.