Heated exchange between corporators at ward-panel meet dominates GB proceedings, mayor warns of 6-month suspension

Nashik: A fiery exchange between BJP corporator Sudhakar Badgujar and independent corporator Mukesh Shahane during a Cidco ward committee meeting on Monday dominated the civic body’s general body meeting on Tuesday.

The war of words sparked outrage across party lines, with elected representatives unanimously demanding strict and immediate action against those responsible.The controversy began at Monday’s ward committee meeting when corporator Sadhana Matale presented a bottle of polluted water as evidence of contaminated water being supplied to parts of Cidco area. As she approached ward committee chairperson Balakrishna Shirsath to submit a memorandum along with the sample, a disagreement escalated between Shahane and Badgujar over suggestions being made to the chair.An elected representative said the situation quickly escalated from a verbal argument into a heated exchange, with both corporators allegedly abusing each other in the presence of several women members. Videos of the altercation later surfaced on social media and went viral, drawing criticism from residents and political circles.The fallout was evident in Tuesday’s GB meeting, where members strongly objected to the behaviour of the two corporators, calling it inappropriate and unbecoming of elected representatives.

Shiv Sena group leader Ajay Boraste, along with other corporators, submitted a letter seeking strict action to prevent such incidents in future.Several members said the episode had tarnished the image of both the individuals involved and the civic body at a time when Nashik was gearing up to host the Simhastha Kumbh Mela in 2027. They said major initiatives, such as Kumbh-related infrastructure works, the monsoon task force and the ‘Unnat Nashik’ campaign, were under way, and such incidents risked overshadowing the city’s development efforts.The corporators stressed the need to maintain discipline and decorum in civic forums, saying public representatives must focus on meaningful debate and public service rather than personal conflicts that undermined democratic institutions.Mayor Himgauri Aher-Adke strongly condemned the altercation, calling it highly objectionable and inappropriate. She emphasised that the elected representatives were entrusted with addressing public concerns and must uphold the dignity of the House at all times.

Referring to the presence of women corporators during the incident, the mayor said she had expected them to speak at length on the issue during the GB meeting.

She, however, observed that the incident was so disturbing that many women members appeared reluctant to participate in the discussion.The mayor warned that any corporator engaging in similar misconduct in ward committees, subject committees or GB meetings in the future would face a six-month suspension and be barred from attending proceedings during that period.

“The fact that women listen patiently and work sincerely does not mean they do not have a voice. Public representatives, particularly men, must maintain discipline and decorum,” she said.The House then unanimously condemned the incident, reiterating the need to preserve the dignity of civic institutions and ensure that discussions remained focused on public issues. During the proceedings, both Shahane and Badgujar expressed regret and apologised to the House, assuring members that such behaviour would not be repeated.