Mumbai: Congress general secretary and former deputy mayor of Mumbai, Rajesh Sharma, has accused the Eknath Shinde government of pressurising outdoor hoarding contractors to carry political advertisements free of coast.
In a letter addressed to the municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Sharma said the outdoor hoarding industry was already in deep crisis because of the restrictions imposed following the collapse of a hoarding at Ghatkopar. The Shinde government's policy of seeking free hoarding space has added to the crisis. He said hoarding space was being sought for ostensibly carry social messages, but in fact they are being used for political purposes in the background of the upcoming assembly elections.
Sharma pointed out that during the festive season, when the industry typically earns its highest revenue, these new regulations have severely impacted businesses.
Sharma said BMC officials are asking hoarding owners to display free of cost state government schemes for 15 days or until the Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct comes into effect. Additionally, the owners have been instructed to submit images as proof of the displays.
Sharma also pointed out that the state government has already spent over ₹1,000 crore on various promotional campaigns. Forcing media owners to promote government schemes free of cost, without offering any compensation or financial aid, is completely unfair. He described this move as "commercial harassment" and accused the government of abusing its administrative power.
