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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.

RSS wants to clear confusion, say scholars

Mumbai: The RSS wants the words ‘Socialism’ and ‘Secularism’ to be removed from the preamble of the Constitution, because they are creating confusion and contradiction, if right-wing scholars are to be believed.


“While the word ‘Socialism’ has lost its meaning, the word ‘Secularism’ is creating unnecessary contradiction in the various provisions of the constitution,” said Durganand Jha of the Centre for Policy Analysis at Patna, while hailing the statement made by RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale for a need to debate the issue of removal of the term ‘Secularism’ and ‘Socialism’ from the preamble of the Indian Constitution.


“The statement has rightly caught attention of the nation. It needs to be thoroughly debated and acted upon,” Jha opined.


In 2020, a petition challenging validity of the words in the Preamble, by Adv. Balram Singh, backed by former Law Minister Subramaniam Swamy and Adv. Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, was struck down by the apex court. When asked about it, Ravindra Mahajan of Ekatma Vikas Samiti in Mumbai, pointed out that mere rejection of the petition doesn’t mean the issue is wrong. “It probably needs to be put before the Supreme Court in a proper manner,” he said.


Jha, however, pointed out that the use of word ‘secular’ in the preamble of the Constitution leads to contradiction with respect to many of its provisions. “Validity of the word will have to be challenged on this ground,” he said.


Inclusion of the term ‘Secularism’ is inconsistent with various provisions of the Constitution of India. Eg. Article 14, 15 and 16 of the constitution give ‘equal rights’, ‘right to equal opportunity’ and ‘prohibit discrimination on grounds of religion, caste, race, sex and place of birth’. While Article 26 bestows to all religionists ‘equal rights in managing their religious affairs’, Article 25 gives an exclusive right to the minorities to ‘propagating religion’ and Articles 28, 29 and 30 give circumstantial advantage to Christianity and Islam where religious conversions accepted. “These articles put Hindu in a disadvantageous situation as it is not a proselytising religion,” Jha said and added that inclusion of word ‘Secularism’ in the preamble of the Constitution of India made those Articles of Indian Constitution which give special rights to the minorities, inconsistent with the preamble of the Constitution. “And hence the word needs to be removed.”


Jha also pointed out that, the word ‘Socialism’ was inducted into the preamble of the Constitution, at around the same time when China, the epitome of ‘Socialism’, was actually embracing capitalism. He also said that the people of India have to decide whether they support the preamble approved by Ambedkar, Nehru, Sardar Patel or the preamble adulterated by Indira Gandhi.


Jha also said that, if something is undone which was done during an emergency when the country was on tenterhooks, and all opposition leaders were in prison, it will be a true homage to the struggle of those who fought and spent months in prison to keep the flame of democracy alive in the country.


"The Preamble of a constitution is not changeable. But this Preamble was changed by the 42nd Constitution (Amendment) Act of 1976. And in the process, if you deeply reflect, we are giving wings to existential challenges. It is nothing but belittling the civilisational wealth and knowledge of this country for thousands of years. It is a sacrilege of the spirit of Sanatan. These words have been added as nasoor (festering wound). These words will create upheaval."

Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President

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