Don't celebrate Mumbai night life plan yet: BJP moves to block Shiv Sena's proposal

Mumbai: While the Shiv Sena is pushing for vibrant nightlife in Mumbai and taking the credit for it, the BJP has now asked the Mumbai police commissioner to withdraw the approval given to the proposal. With this move, BJP seems set to ensure that the plan is put in cold storage.

Last month, Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria approved the proposal of keeping pubs, bars and restaurants open all night with a caveat that they must not be located in residential areas. Subsequently, Aditya Thackeray, the president of Shiv Sena’s youth wing, discussed the matter with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and it was expected to be cleared in the upcoming budget session or the monsoon session. The proposal was sent to the state government by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), controlled by Sena-BJP for past two decades, in October 2013.

However, Raj Purohit, a legislator from Colaba and BJP’s chief whip in the legislative assembly, has now written to the Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria asking him to withdraw the NOC given to the proposal.

Purohit’s demand comes after a meeting of local citizen groups, including the Clean Heritage Colaba Residents Association, last week in which the residents raised questions opposing the nightlife plan.

“The Mumbai police commissioner should withdraw the NOC given to the proposal. It seems that Maria has given the green signal to the proposal without application of mind and in haste. Before taking such decisions, the locals and residents associations should be consulted and taken into confidence. Nobody should impose such decision on citizens,” Purohit told Firstpost.

He said he would take up the issue with the chief minister and would also raise it on the floor of the house in the assembly session.

“For cases like the demolition of illegal construction and other such issues, the police continues to claim that they are short-staffed and are unable to provide bandobast or security. Also, if police is not able manage the traffic during day, then how it will manage it at night?" Purohit said.

“On the other hand, it has given go-ahead to the nightlife proposal. How it is going to maintain the law and order in city if they are short-staffed. Also, if the police is not able to control the petty crimes like robbery and chain snatching during the day, how it is going to ensure citizens safety at night if the proposal is allowed,” he said.

He further said that a list of questions raised by the residents has been submitted to the police commissioner seeking his clarifications.

“During the meeting with locals, the youngsters said they want computers instead of nightlife. The women said they will not be able come out of home at night if the bars and pubs are allowed to remain open. The locals said night life, if allowed, will bring horror into their life. Nobody wants bars and pubs to be open in their lanes or localities. Nightlife is a good idea to hear but local residents suffer,” Purohit said.

Another BJP legislator said that there are other important issues that need to be resolved.

“The issues like roads, parking, healthcare, affordable housing and water need to be addressed rather than night life. These issues must be taken up on priority as it will bring relief in the life of lakhs of Mumbaikars,” said a BJP legislator on condition of anonymity.

Earlier, city BJP chief Ashish Shelar also attacked the proposal terming it an ‘elitist’ and demanded an ‘inclusive’ nightlife policy.

“Elite parties should not be reason to do it. What is important is finding ways to improve living conditions of the common man. Vada pav, pav bhaji vendors should remain open. It will bring relief to the hard life of these vendors,” Shelar had said.

With the BJP-Sena rift widening over the several issues at the state and centre, sources in the state government and BJP said that it is now unlikely that the proposal to make amendments in laws regulating pubs and bars timings would be brought in the budget session of state assembly, which is scheduled to begin on 9 March. While the BMC is set to go for elections in 2017, the BJP is unwilling let the Sena take all the credit for the night life proposal.

The BJP is also reportedly unhappy with the Mumbai Police commissioner for not taking the new government into confidence before giving the go-ahead to the Shiv Sena’s proposal. The proposal was moved by the Shiv Sena when the Congress-NCP government was in power in state. Following the change in power in October 2014, the BJP feels that the police commissioner should have taken the new government in confidence before taking the call on the proposal.

Sources in the government said that the strained relations between two parties could shelve the entire plan or could put it in cold storage.

“All departments dealing with the issue like Home, Urban Development, Labour, Law & Judiciary are with the BJP. While the police commissioner’s report has been received, a lot of work needs to be done to get the night life proposal implemented. Now, the ball is completely in the CM’s court to take the call on it,” said a government official.

While Fadnavis heads the Urban Development, Home and Law and Judiciary department, the Labour Department is headed by BJP minister Prakash Mehta.

A senior government official from the labour department pointed out that the amendment into the Bombay Shops and Establishment Act may require the Centre’s nod. Another official said that the nightlife proposal and the special entertainment zone could be part of the state government’s new initiative of making Mumbai as an Entertainment hub.

As of now, the officials said that it will require amendments in the Bombay Shops and Establishment Act, the Excise Act and in the Bombay Police Act. While the amendment in the Bombay Shops and establishment Act is required to allow men and women to work all night, the amendment in Excise Act is required to allow the establishments to serve liquor all night. At present, the Bombay Police Act allows eateries and bars to stay open till 1.30 pm. So, an amendment is required to allow them to stay open all night.

The Shiv Sena says that the BJP shouldn’t politicize the issue and says the Chief Minister will be held responsible if there is unnecessary delay in approving and implementing the proposal. How Fadnavis plans to extricate himself from it though remains to be seen.