The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday said that it will do everything to support the interests of tenants, and that it will not make changes or amendments in the Rent Control Act. In what seemed like a U-turn in its stated position, the party claimed that, despite news reports to the contrary, no such proposal was ever discussed.
Following a meeting with Mumbai’s BJP leaders and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday, State Housing Minister Prakash Mehta said, “There is no such proposal. All news reports saying that there is are baseless. The government is not proposing any rent changes.”
In May 2015, news reports began emerging on how the Maharashtra government had proposed an amendment to the Maharashtra Rent Control Act (1999) which excluded any commercial establishment larger than 540 sq ft and any residential flat larger than 845 sq ft from any protection under the Act.
Effectively, the amendments said, that if tenants — commercial or residential — do not pay rent at prevailing market rates, the landlord had every right to evict them. Earlier this month, the talk in the corridors of power once again revolved around the Rent Control Act. This was then reported in the media.
The reports elicited an intense reaction from all political parties, including the BJP’s alliance partner, Shiv Sena, which organised a signature campaign against the proposed amendment. Ironically, the most affected tenants would have been in South Mumbai, encompassing the constituency of leading BJP MLAs Mangal Prabhat Lodha (Malabar Hill) and Raj Purohit (Colaba).
“Those who say the Rent Act will be amended are lying, and are trying to malign the image of the party and the government,” Mr Lodha said. Sources in the State Housing Department, however, mentioned that the proposal was moved to amend the Act.
However, no BJP leader was able to explain why, despite political parties and tenant associations strongly criticising the government, the party reacted late.
According to BJP insiders, the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election and the fear of facing wrath of south Mumbai’s voters is said to be the reason behind sudden u-turn by the government.
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP welcomed the government move calling it a victory of “people’s power”. The party’s Mumbai chief Sachin Ahir said, “BJP had to retreat due to tremendous pressure created by the NCP. We will be keeping a close watch on this government since a number of new housing projects such as Dharavi redevelopment, BDD chawl redevelopment.”
