’I went topless to grab attention’

Says Shiv Sena corporator Sachin Bhagat whose shirtless stunt in PMC's General Body meeting was flayed by all members in the house

'I went topless to grab attention'

Says Shiv Sena corporator Sachin Bhagat whose shirtless stunt in PMC's General Body meeting was flayed by all members in the house

Shiv Sena corporator Sachin Bhagat's act of going topless during a general body meeting of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has invited strong criticism from his colleagues.

His shirtless drama, to protest water shortage in Kharadi and Wadgaonsheri, took the members by surprise and all corporators, including the female members, demanded Bhagat's suspension.

Similar past
However Bhagat, who has a history of wired behavior in the PMC, said there is a method to his madness. "I did it to grab attention of PMC officials. Corporators like me, who come from modest backgrounds, have no option but to do such things in order to get work done in our wards."

Bhagat, who had tried to immolate himself in the PMC meeting hall over the same issue a couple of years ago, said, "After I tried to immolate myself, the water supply to Kharadi and Wadgaonsheri was regularised for 15 days. But later, the problem started all over again."

It works
He added that after his topless stunt the Wadgaonsheri area finally received water after a gap of three days.

Bhagat blames PMC officials for the irregular supply in his ward. "The PMC officials offer illegal water supply to a chosen few. No wonder the three water tanks with capacities of 35 lakh, 25 lakh, 16 lakh litres that were installed to cater to the water requirement of the residents of the area don't get adequate water.

But whatever might have been his reason to strip; his exploit didn't go well with his colleagues who demanded his immediate suspension. Rajalaxmi Bhonsale, mayor of PMC, denounced his action as obscene and deemed it as an act thatu00a0 lowered the dignity of the house.