No adjournment : Civic committee sets a precedent

Transacts business after condolences to send a strong message to terrorists

december 7,2008

'We cannot allow terrorists to succeed in their plans. The Japanese mark their protest by working overtime and increasing production. We too, should emulate that example.'

It Had become a sort of a tradition at Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) for the corporators to adjourn important meeting after offering condolences to the departed after every disaster. That changed last Wednesday. In an unprecedented move, and a show that the spirit of Mumbai cannot be crushed, the Committee went ahead with its scheduled business at its scheduled business at its weekly meeting agter offering condolences to those killed in the mumbai attacks and brief adjournment. chairman of the standing committee Sandeep Naik stated that the move was to send a strong message to the terrorists that they will not be allowed to disrupt development in the country. Initially, a few corporators had reservations. Said CBD Corporatir Ashok Patil, "Nothing of this sort has ever happened. We have always adjourned the meeting in such instances. If we don't do it now, people will feel we are showing disrespect to the departed." Naik, however, managed to convince his own corporators as well as those of the other parties assuring them that he would take all responsibility. When he started the meeting, on his instruction, senior NCP corpotator J.D.Sutar offered condolences and proposed the adjournment, which was seconded by Congress corporator Avinash Lad. After the condolences, two minutes of silence was abserved. Naik then announced that the meeting would be adjourned for 15 minutes as a mark of respect for the departed souls and would then resume. After the break, explaining his stance to the members, Naik said, "The terrorists aim was to kill as many people as they could and also to attack the economy of our country. They hit the commercial capital of the country and targeted the tourism industry to succeed in their evil desings." Stated Naik, "We cannot allow them to succeed in their plans. The Japanese mark their protest by working overtime and increasing production. We too should emulate that example. If we allow the important development resolution to be delayed, we will be playing into the hands of the terrorists." He added, "We will go ahead with the meeting and pass the resolutions for the sake of the progress of the country and to ensure the sacrifices of the innocents to not go waste. We needs to give a clear message to the terrorists that we shall not succumb to their pressure."