SMC councillors threaten agitation

SURAT, Dec 30: A section of Surat municipal councillors has threatened to launch an agitation if the killers of Nita Satbhaya are not arr...

SURAT, Dec 30: A section of Surat municipal councillors has threatened to launch an agitation if the killers of Nita Satbhaya are not arrested within 10 days.

A total 25 councillors, under the leadership of former mayor Fakirbhai Chauhan, submitted a memorandum to Police Commissioner Kuldip Sharma, asking him to nab the killers. Even 12 days after Nita Satbhaya was murdered, the killers are at large and the police still groping in dark, Chauhan said.

Talking to Express Newsline, Chauhan said a delegation would go to Gandhinagar to meet the chief minister. “If the killers are not arrested within 10 days we would be forced to launch an agitation”, he reiterated.

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Asked whether he would launch an agitation against his own government, Chauhan said, “Definitely. I am with the people and I respect people’s sentiments.” Standing committee member Madansinh Atodari, former gutter committee chairman Ranjit Chimina accompanied Chauhan. This group, led by Chauhan, is identified as the Khajuria group.

With a section of Press pointing figures at some political bigwigs of the Khajuria pack, Chauhan felt it was time to be assertive and demand that the killers be arrested. “So that real culprits are put behind bars”, a councillor pointed out.

Surprisingly, the other section of councillors — the Hajuria group — chose to ignore the former mayor’s threat to launch an agitation. While leader of the house in SMC Natu Soma Patel claimed that he was not aware that Chauhan had submitted any memorandum, Standing Committee Chairman Ajay Choksi said he had read about it only in newspapers.

Meanwhile, the general board meeting of the Surat Municipal Corporation concluded today without transacting any business. Mayor Savita Sharda, leader of opposition and lone Congress councillor Bhupendra Solanki read out condolence messages.

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Solanki suggested that the meeting be adjourned after observing two minutes silence to mourn Satbhaya’s death. Solanki regretted that the police had no clue about the killers. He said the accused should be hanged to death.

Appealing the councillors to contribute their December month’s salary and allowances to Nita Satbhaya’s family, he said her husband should be given a suitable job in the SMC to keep Satbhaya’s memory alive.

Former mayor Geeta Desai, standing committee member Aruna Desai and state secretary of Mahila Morcha, recalling their association with Satbhaya, said she was an honest crusader.

Councillor Heera Gangani said Satbhaya had become a victim of “dirty politics”.