Mumbai : Women MLA Allegedly Slaps Civil Engineer Over Demolition of ‘Illegal Structure’

Geeta Jain, MLA from Thane district, has been accused of slapping a junior civil engineer working for the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) during a dispute over the demolition of an ‘illegal structure’. The incident occurred in the Penkarpada area of Kashimira, where the MBMC’s anti-encroachment squad was conducting a demolition drive in preparation for the monsoon season.

A video of the incident, which has since gone viral on social media, shows Jain scolding two engineers before grabbing one of them by the collar and slapping him. Jain claimed that the engineer laughed at the distress of the woman affected by the demolition. She questioned the engineers’ decision to carry out the demolition ahead of the monsoon season and reminded them of a Government Resolution (GR) that prohibits the demolition of residential structures during this time.

Jain defended her actions, stating that she couldn’t tolerate the insult of a woman and had no regrets about what she did. She argued that only a portion of the house was illegal, and the occupants had agreed to remove it. According to Jain, the civic officials disregarded her instructions and demolished the entire house, which she claimed was causing inconvenience to a builder rather than obstructing any government amenity or road.

Jain also alleged that the civic officials not only damaged the property but also pulled the hair of women who opposed the demolition. As of now, no police complaint or FIR has been registered in relation to the incident. Jain, a former BJP mayor, won the 2019 elections as an independent candidate and has since extended her support to the BJP-Shiv Sena government.