In a battle of nerves witnessed among leaders of various political hues ahead of Thursday's bandh called by the ruling NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena seeking a temporary stay on the ongoing drive against the illegal constructions at Thane, Chief Minister Prithivraj Chavan on Wednesday steadfastly refused to blink and toe the local DF-Sena leaders' line.
On a day when the Raj Thackeray-led MNS and BJP opposed the "Thane bandh" called by the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena against the continuance of the demolition of unauthorised structures, "without providing alternate accommodation to to-be displaced residents", Chavan of the ruling Congress made it clear that the State Government would not wilt under pressure from any quarter and stay the ongoing demolitions of the illegal buildings that come like mushrooms at Thane, a satellite city of Mumbai, over the years.
The ongoing demolition operation at Thane is a direct consequence of the massive collapse of a seven storey illegal building at Mumbra on April 4, in which 74 people were killed and 60-odd others injured - an incident that sparked a major public uproar leading to the arrest of 17 persons, including the two builders, for flouting all civic rules to undertake the construction of a sub-standard structure that caved in like proverbial pack of cards.
Responding to a vociferous demand for a temporary stay on the illegal constructions made by the NCP and Shiv Sena MlAs from Thane in the State Assembly, the chief minister categorically ruled out the possibility of his government staying midway the demolition operation being carried out by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC)
"The drive to demolish 57 very dangerous buildings is on and as many as 1094 buildings are dangerous. Who will take the responsibility if these dangerous buildings are spared and there is a repeat of a tragedy like Mumbra building collapseIJ" Chavan asked, while replying to queries from Sena and NCP legislators from Thane .