In a move that has sparked controversy, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday took down several protest hoardings in the Dharavi area of Mumbai. The banners, put up by the Dharavi Bachao Andolan (DBA) and Shetkari Kamgar Paksh, were publicising a public meeting scheduled for December 7 to oppose the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP).
Cartoons Deemed an 'Insult'
Civic officials verbally informed the organisers that the hoardings were being removed because they caricatured Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The officials stated that these cartoons "would insult the CM’s post." Advocate Rajendra Korde, convenor of the Dharavi Bachao Andolan, contested this action, highlighting India's long tradition of political cartoons. He reported that at least 25 small hoardings were removed by a joint team of police and BMC officials.
Details of the Planned Protest and Eviction Notices
The removed banners carried slogans like "Adani Hatao, Dharavi Bachao" and advertised the December 7 meeting at Kamaraj High School on 90 Feet Road. The protest is a direct response to recent developments in the redevelopment project. Organisers point to the recent issuance of Annexure-2 eligibility lists across four Dharavi pockets: Meghwadi–Ganesh Nagar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Nagar, Tilak Nagar, and Rajiv Gandhi Nagar.
According to the activists, a staggering 80–85% of residents in these localities have been marked as ineligible for rehabilitation, with only 15–20% listed as eligible. The situation is particularly stark in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, where only 2 out of 121 surveyed residents were found eligible. Compounding the crisis, residents of Ganesh Nagar–Meghwadi have received seven-day eviction notices from DRP authorities, warning of forcible clearance if they do not vacate.
Organisers Vow to Proceed, Alleging a Larger Plan
Former MLA Baburao Mane and advocate Korde have alleged that these eligibility lists and eviction notices expose an attempt to clear Dharavi residents to facilitate "Adani’s extended BKC-2 plan." Despite the removal of their banners, they have asserted that the December 7 public meeting will proceed as planned. "No matter the pressure, the public meeting will take place," the organisers declared, framing the banner removal as an attempt to curb mobilisation ahead of their protest.
The incident has raised questions about the limits of political expression and the tensions surrounding one of Asia's largest urban redevelopment projects, which directly impacts the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents.
