by Suresh Pd Nikhar
Gaya: The Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and numerous councilors of the Gaya Municipal Corporation have voiced strong opposition to the Nagar Palika Amendment Bill 2024. On Tuesday, they staged a protest by burning copies of the gazette related to the amendment outside the municipal corporation office in Gaya.
The protest was also a response to recent remarks made by the Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Prem Kumar, who criticized the election of officials to the Gaya Municipal Corporation. Kumar’s statement, which suggested that unsuitable individuals were elected, has been met with fierce backlash from local leaders.
Gaya Mayor Ganesh Paswan condemned the new gazette and warned of a larger movement if their concerns are not addressed. He described the minister’s comments as an insult to the entire city’s residents.
Former Deputy Mayor and current councilor Mohan Shrivastav criticized the parallel Nagar Nigam structure proposed for Bihar, where the minister would serve as chairman while municipal commissioners, district officers, MPs, MLAs, and MLCs would hold key positions. Shrivastav accused the amendment of undermining the powers of local governance by excluding the mayor and making the Nagar Nigam ineffective.
In response to Kumar’s controversial statements, many councilors, along with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, have filed an FIR at the Kotwali police station. They are seeking legal redress and expressing their dissatisfaction with the minister’s remarks, which have fueled significant resentment among Gaya’s elected officials.
