Modi supporters call Shiv Sena 'chor', leaves Uddhav red-faced

Mumbai : The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday resounded with cries of BJP members shouting "Modi, Modi", followed by Shiv Sena's "Chor Hai, Chor Hai", culminating in clashes in which a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Corporator was roughed up.

The incident took place in the presence of Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray who were at the BMC for a speicl function to mark the formal rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at the country's richest civic body.

As soon as Thackeray arrived at the civic headquarters, BJP corporators raised loud slogans of "Modi, Modi", which was retaliated to by Shiv Sena corporators with deafening shouts of "Chor Hai, Chor Hai". Soon it turned into a free for all.

BJP corporator Makarand Narvekar was allegedly roughed up by some Shiv Sena corporators in the melee in the lobby outside the BMC house.

However, Shiv Sena corporator Kishori Pednekar claimed that they reacted when Narvekar and some other corporators raised slogans against Shiv Sena founder, the late Bal Thackeray.

On his part, Narvekar denied he used insulting words against Bal Thackeray and said he was assaulted even before the function started in the BMC house.

The slogan-war continued till an embarrassed Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar appealed for peace and gradually the ruckus subsided.

Some Shiv Sena corporators even claimed that they mistook the BJP's slogans for "Modi, Modi" as implying Lalit Modi and retorted with "Chor Hai, Chor Hai".

Later, Mungantiwar handed over a cheque of Rs 647 crore to the BMC as compensation for the losses it would suffer after its biggest revenue source octroi was replaced with GST from July.

"The state government does not want the progress of Mumbai to be affected in any manner, so we are handing over this amount to compensate for the losses on account of octroi," said Mungantiwar.