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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city...

Seventy-six mayors ruled BMC since 1931

After four years, Mumbai to salute its first citizen Kishori Pednekar Vishwanath Mahadeshwar Snehal Ambekar Sunil Prabhu Mumbai: As the date for appointing Mumbai’s First Citizen looms closer, various political parties have adopted tough posturing to foist their own person for the coveted post of Mayor – the ‘face’ of the country’s commercial capital. Ruling Mahayuti allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have vowed that the city will get a ‘Hindu Marathi’ person to head India’s richest civic body, while the Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena also harbour fond hopes of a miracle that could ensure their own person for the post. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) optimism stems from expectations of possible political permutations-combinations that could develop with a realignment of forces as the Supreme Court is hearing the cases involving the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party this week. Catapulted as the largest single party, the BJP hopes to install a first ever party-man as Mayor, but that may not create history. Way back in 1982-1983, a BJP leader Dr. Prabhakar Pai had served in the top post in Mumbai (then Bombay). Incidentally, Dr. Pai hailed from Udupi district of Karnataka, and his appointment came barely a couple of years after the BJP was formed (1980), capping a distinguished career as a city father, said experts. Originally a Congressman, Dr. Pai later shifted to the Bharatiya Janata Party, then back to Congress briefly, founded the Janata Seva Sangh before immersing himself in social activities. Second Administrator The 2026 Mayoral elections have evoked huge interest not only among Mumbaikars but across the country as it comes after nearly four years since the BMC was governed by an Administrator. This was only the second time in the BMC history that an Administrator was named after April 1984-May 1985. On both occasions, there were election-related issues, the first time the elections got delayed for certain reasons and the second time the polling was put off owing to Ward delimitations and OBC quotas as the matter was pending in the courts. From 1931 till 2022, Mumbai has been lorded over by 76 Mayors, men and women, hailing from various regions, backgrounds, castes and communities. They included Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, even a Jew, etc., truly reflecting the cosmopolitan personality of the coastal city and India’s financial powerhouse. In 1931-1932, the Mayor was a Parsi, J. B. Boman Behram, and others from his community followed like Khurshed Framji Nariman (after whom Nariman Point is named), E. A. Bandukwala, Minoo Masani, B. N. Karanjia and other bigwigs. There were Muslims like Hoosenally Rahimtoola, Sultan M. Chinoy, the legendary Yusuf Meherally, Dr. A. U. Memon and others. The Christian community got a fair share of Mayors with Joseph A. D’Souza – who was Member of Constituent Assembly representing Bombay Province for writing-approving the Constitution of India, M. U. Mascarenhas, P. A. Dias, Simon C. Fernandes, J. Leon D’Souza, et al. A Jew Elijah Moses (1937-1938) and a Sikh M. H. Bedi (1983-1984), served as Mayors, but post-1985, for the past 40 years, nobody from any minority community occupied the august post. During the silver jubilee year of the post, Sulochana M. Modi became the first woman Mayor of Mumbai (1956), and later with tweaks in the rules, many women ruled in this post – Nirmala Samant-Prabhavalkar (1994-1995), Vishakha Raut (997-1998), Dr. Shubha Raul (March 2007-Nov. 2009), Shraddha Jadhav (Dec. 2009-March 2012), Snehal Ambedkar (Sep. 2014-March 2017). The last incumbent (before the Administrator) was a government nurse, Kishori Pednekar (Nov. 2019-March 2022) - who earned the sobriquet of ‘Florence Nightingale’ of Mumbai - as she flitted around in her full white uniform at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, earning the admiration of the citizens. Mumbai Mayor – high-profile post The Mumbai Mayor’s post is considered a crucial step in the political ladder and many went on to become MLAs, MPs, state-central ministers, a Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Ministers and union ministers. The formidable S. K. Patil was Mayor (1949-1952) and later served in the union cabinets of PMs Jawaharlal Nehru, Lah Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi; Dahyabhai V. Patel (1954-1955) was the son of India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel; Manohar Joshi (1976-1977) became the CM of Maharashtra, later union minister and Speaker of Lok Sabha; Chhagan Bhujbal (1985-1986 – 1990-1991) became a Deputy CM.

How Israel's Action in Syria May Reshape its Borders?

Syria

Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops would remain in the Syrian territory indefinitely, blurring the border with its northern neighbour.


Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has never had fully recognized borders. Throughout its history, the frontiers with its Arab neighbours have shifted as a result of wars, annexations, ceasefires and peace agreements.


Now, the downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad has created a situation that could once again reshape Israel's borders.


As Assad was toppled early this month, Israel quickly moved into the Syrian side of a 50-year-old demilitarized buffer zone. Netanyahu described the move as defensive and temporary, and said it was aimed at making sure that none of the groups jostling for power inside Syria threatened Israel.


But in Tuesday's visit to the Syrian side of the buffer zone, Netanyahu made clear that Israel plans on staying for some time. Speaking on the windswept summit of Mount Hermon overlooking Syria, he said Israel would remain “until another arrangement is found that will ensure Israel's security.”


Israel's establishment

In 1947, the United Nations approved a plan to partition what was then British-controlled Mandatory Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. The contested city of Jerusalem was to be administered by the UN.


This plan, however, was never implemented. Israel declared independence in May 1948, and neighbouring Arab countries declared war. That war ended with Israel in control of some 77% of the territory – with Jordan controlling the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and Egypt in control of the Gaza Strip.


1967 Mideast war

During the six days of fighting of the 1967 Mideast war, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, Gaza and the Sinai peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria.


Initially celebrated by Israel, the lightning victory set the stage for decades of conflict that continue to reverberate today.


Israel quickly annexed east Jerusalem – home to the city's most sensitive Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites as well as its Palestinian population.


Although Israel has never formally annexed the West Bank, it has informally incorporated much of the territory by building settlements that are now home to over 500,000 Jewish Israelis.


The international community overwhelmingly considers both east Jerusalem and the West Bank occupied territory. Israel also built settlements in the Sinai, Golan and the Gaza Strip.


1979 peace agreement with Egypt

Under Israel's first peace agreement with an Arab country, Israel returned the Sinai peninsula to Egypt and dismantled all settlements there.


1981 Golan annexation

Israel annexed the Golan Heights, a strategic mountainous region overlooking northern Israel. In 2019, then-President Donald Trump became the first and only foreign leader to recognize Israel's control. The rest of the world still considers the area occupied Syrian territory.


Netanyahu announced this week he wants to expand the Golan settler population after Assad's downfall.


1982 invasion of Lebanon

After a brief invasion of Lebanon against Palestinian militants in 1978, Israel reentered the country in 1982 in an operation that turned into an 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon. Israel withdrew in 2000 under heavy fire from the Hezbollah militia.


1993 Oslo Accords

Israel and the Palestinians reached an interim peace deal granting the Palestinians autonomy in Gaza and parts of the West Bank, while leaving Israeli settlements intact. The accords were meant to pave the way for a two-state solution, but repeated rounds of peace talks ended in failure.


The Palestinians seek all of the West Bank and Gaza for their hoped-for state, with east Jerusalem as their capital.


2005 Gaza withdrawal

Then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon led a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, uprooting all troops and 21 settlements from the territory. Two years later, Hamas militants overran Gaza and ousted the Palestinian Authority.


2023 war in Gaza and Lebanon

Responding to Hamas' Oct. 7 cross-border attack, Israel invades Gaza in an operation that continues.


Israeli leaders have not laid out a clear postwar plan but have indicated they will maintain a buffer zone along Gaza's border with Israel along with some sort of long-term military presence. Some hardliners in Netanyahu's governing coalition have called for the re-establishment of Jewish settlements.


In October, Israeli ground troops invaded southern Lebanon after a year of fighting with Hezbollah militants. Under a ceasefire, Israel has pledged to withdraw from a strip of land it is occupying by late January.


The fall of Assad

As opposition forces ousted Assad on December 8, Israeli military forces moved into the Syrian side of the demilitarised buffer zone, established after the 1973 Mideast war. Israel now controls the zone and targets deeper inside the country.


Although Israel has said the move is temporary, its open-ended presence has drawn international criticism from countries such as Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia as well as the United Nations.


US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged all countries with interests in Syria to “try to make sure that we're not sparking any additional conflicts.” The new Syrian government has already lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council about Israeli advances into Syrian territory. The leader of the largest insurgent group, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has publicly condemned Israel's operations but said Syria is not seeking a military conflict with Israel.-AP

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