Businessman to hit streets to shame BMC

City businessman and socialite Viren Shah is taking to the streets, literally, to shame the BMC over the Crawford Market deal and a host of other policies cleared by the civic body.

With help from prominent RTI activists and NGOs, Shah is busy rehearsing a song based on an old hit — Dekh tere sansar ki halat kya ho gayee bhagwan — which he intends to sing on city streets to ridicule the BMC.

Helped by RTI activist Shailesh Gandhi and NGO Agni, Shah will also stage street plays to expose BMC’s alleged acts of omission and commission.

“This is not my business. But as a citizen, I vote for corporators and elect them to run the BMC. It does not mean they will take any decision they like. They have to take into consideration the common man’s interests,” Shah said.
The trigger for this ‘street act’ is BMC’s recent decision to allot open spaces reserved for playgrounds and recreation grounds to private parties for maintenance.

The song’s lyrics have been composed by Iqbal Qureshi and the music is by Piyush Kanojiya. It has been sung by Dr Parag Zaveri and Nimesh Bhatt. Shah also plans to air the song on TV channels. The play — TV stars Tanaz and Bakhtiyar have been roped in to act — will be performed near railway stations, schools, colleges and public gardens to embarrass the BMC for its lack of transparency in the decision-making. The street play will be both in Hindi and English.

Theatre personality Gary Richardson and adman Alyque Padamsee are directing the English version of the play. They will be assisted by activist Gerson da Cunha.

• I elect corporators to run the BMC. It doesn’t mean they will take any decision they like. They have to take into consideration the common man’s interests – Viren Shah

Source: mumbaimirror.com