Andheri

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Home Rule

Mumbai

Bandra

The BJP appears to be making amends for its MP Gopal Shetty’s snide remarks against Indian Christians earlier this month that they were ‘angrez’ who neither cared for nor participated in the struggle for Independence.BJP MLA Ameet Satam fromWest has now demanded that the state government construct an East Indian Bhavan for the community — a long-pending demand — and name it after Joseph ‘Kaka’ Baptista, a freedom fighter closely associated withand themovement who was elected the first Indian-origin mayor of Bombay in 1925.Satam made this demand in the assembly on July 20, the last day of the monsoon session. “Joseph ‘Kaka’ Baptista was Tilak’s close associate and played a big role in the freedom movement. His contribution must be recognised and the East Indian community must also be given credit. So, I demanded that an East Indian Bhavan be constructed and named after Joseph Kaka Baptista,” he said.Earlier this month, in a video clip that went viral on social media and was telecast on TV channels, Shetty said, “Christians were angrez (British). They were not part of the [freedom] struggle. Members of both the communities fought this battle together as Hindustanis (Indians), not as Hindus or Muslims.”He later clarified that his statement had been misrepresented. He said he had never discriminated against anyone and even offered to resign in the wake of the controversy. While Satam asserted that his demand had nothing to do with Shetty’s comments and the ensuing controversy, many other BJP leaders said the remarks had damaged the party’s image in the Christian community, and that it is now trying to reach out to the community.Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP), which was one of the first organisations that demanded a community centre for East Indians, welcomed the move. “The Kaka Baptista Bhavan project was aimed at providing a centre for the East Indian community, one of the oldest communities of the city. It has got a shot in the arm with legislator Ameet Satam making a strong demand for it in the assembly,” said Gleason Barretto, founder-trustee, MGP.He said Shetty comments had “upset” the Christian community. “This demand (for an East Indian Bhavan) has made the community happy. But it should be taken to its logical end and must not remain as a demand.” Gordon D’Souza of Bombay Catholic Sabha said the East Indian Bhavan has been a long-pending demand.“If any elected representative is pushing for it in the assembly, it’s a welcome move and the community should be happy. Even if the BJP is taking it up, it’s a good thing. We will support the demand.”ABJP functionary said the Catholic community is crucial to the party’s political equations. “This is especially true in, where the community is influential in many constituencies. It plays a decisive role and had backed the BJP in 2014. So, we are reaching out to the community. Many meetings with community leaders are already underway and we are getting a good response from them.”Aseries of meetings with Catholic community leaders has also been lined up for upcoming weeks, said the functionary.In December last year, city BJP chief andWest MLA Ashish Shelar, who taken up many issues concerning the Catholic community, was trolled on social media for supporting apre-Christmas event.