BMC official forced to hold placard reading responsible for potholes in the city'

Mumbai: A senior civic official was allegedly harassed by MNS workers led by its two leaders who forced him to hold a placard at a public site in Dadar stating that he is "responsible for potholes in the city", prompting the official to lodge a complaint.

The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when a group of workers, led by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Sandeep Deshpande and corporator Santosh Dhuri met BMC Chief Engineer (Roads department) Sanjay Darade at his office in Worli, an official of Shivaji Park police station said.

According to a senior BMC official, MNS workers had come to meet Darade at his office and asked him to accompany them to a spot between Sena Bhawan and Plaza Theatre in Dadar area.

"After reaching the spot, he was forcibly made to hold a placard which read, 'I, Chief Engineer of Roads Department, am responsible for potholes in the city. Citizens should take note of this'," the official said.

Action could be initiated against both the leaders in the meeting of the House of the civic body, he said, adding that the BMC Commissioner has also taken note of the incident.

Pictures of the incident have been making rounds on social media and mobile messaging platforms since yesterday.

Following the incident, Darade filed a complaint with Shivaji Park Police Station against the two leaders and other MNS workers, the official said.

"We have received a written complaint filed by BMC chief engineer and we are looking into the merits of the complaint," the police official said.

When contacted, Deshpande said that he had done "nothing wrong" and would continue to raise such issues in the interest of the common man.

"If I am arrested for raising such an important issue then I not will seek bail till all potholes of the city are filled up. We are the representatives of our voters and we are only responsible towards them," Deshpande said.

Meanwhile, sources in the BMC Engineers Union said that they strongly condem the incident and were planning to hold a protest shortly.