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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.

Pilgrimage, Terror, and Tourism: The Crisis of Faith in Kashmir

Cradled in the lap of the Himalayas, Kashmir- often whispered as “Paradise on Earth” is a land of beauty which seems magical. Pahalgam and Sonamarg unfurl like painted scrolls, opening valleys with the call of adventure. Mirror like waters of Dal Lake, snowflakes of Gulmarg, and nestled in silent reverence- the Amarnath Cave and Vaishno Devi Temple beckon pilgrims with hearts full of faith. Kashmir offers not just a journey, but a poem written in mountains and spiritual light. Tourism in Kashmir has long symbolized the region’s beauty and spiritual depth, but repeated militant attacks often targeting Hindu pilgrims have severely impacted public confidence. On April 22, 2025, 28 people were killed in a brutal assault in Pahalgam. Just a year earlier, in June 2024, nine Hindu pilgrims died in a bus attack in Reasi. These echoed the 2017 Amarnath Yatra attack, where eight were killed.


Tourism in Kashmir: A Shifting Landscape

The violence against Kashmiri Hindus in the 1990s and beyond has had a lasting impact on tourism in the region. Between 1990 and 1991, around 217-228 Kashmiri Hindus were brutally killed in targeted attacks, as terrorism escalated in the region. These early massacres were followed by a series of other brutal incidents, especially during the late 1990s. In 1998 alone, multiple massacres occurred in which Hindu civilians were specifically targeted: the Wandhama Massacre (23 Hindus killed), the Prankote Massacre (29 Hindus killed), the Chapnari Massacre (25 Hindus killed), and the Chamba Massacre in Himachal Pradesh (35 Hindus killed). These acts of terror were designed to intimidate and force the Hindu population out of Kashmir.


A review of terrorism-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir from 2000 to 2025 highlights a significant decline in militant activities over the years. According to data from the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), incidents peaked in the early 2000s with over 2,800 cases in 2001 but steadily decreased in subsequent years. This downward trend initially fostered renewed hope for peace and boosted tourism. However, the recent spate of targeted attacks, has reignited deep public fears. In 2000, the Amarnath Pilgrimage Massacre claimed the lives of several pilgrims, further deepening the fear among visitors.


The violence continued with the 2002 Amarnath Massacre, including attacks on the Raghunath Temple. The Nadimarg Massacre of 2003 (24 Kashmiri Pandits killed), and the Doda Massacre of 2006, which saw nearly 60 Hindus murdered, continued the cycle of targeted violence and terrorism.


The Pahalgam Attack of 2025 is a recent reminder that the Hindu community in Kashmir has long been in the crosshairs of militant groups. These attacks, particularly on religious pilgrims and locals, led to the virtual collapse of tourism, as Hindus were not just victims but also the primary targets of terror for decades.


Threat not just on tourists/ pilgrims

The violence in Kashmir has not spared anyone, including the Indian Army. The military, tasked with maintaining order in the region, has become a frequent target of terror groups.


The Uri Attack (2016), where 19 Indian soldiers were killed is one of the deadliest strikes in recent history. Similarly, the Pathankot Attack (2016), and the Pulwama Attack (2019), which led to the deaths of 40 CRPF personnel, are stark reminders of the deep-rooted hostility in the region. These attacks have compounded the sense of fear and insecurity, not only for civilians but also for those in the military who are tasked with maintaining order. As a result, the valley’s already fragile tourism sector has been severely hampered, with both local and foreign visitors who now reconsider or abandon travel plans discouraged by the ongoing violence and instability. The tragic events of these decades have created a cycle of terror, where every attack not only deepens the valley's scars but also further isolates it from the outside world.


The challenges facing Kashmir’s tourism are a heavy weight the region still struggles to bear. Fear and uncertainty are constant companions. Each attack doesn’t just take lives, it takes away memories that could have been made and journeys that could have been healing. For a country rooted in Hindu heritage and identifying as a Hindu-majority nation, the repeated, religion-specific terrorist attacks are more than just acts of violence, they are targeted blows to the soul of the nation.


These attacks haven’t just spilled blood; they’ve fractured the very spirit of tourism in Kashmir, a state whose economy depends heavily on those seeking peace, pilgrimage, and beauty.


(Writer is an MA English Literature student. Views Personal)

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