New Delhi: The Shiv Sena has won Ward No. 96 (Behrampada), which was vilified by its mouthpiece Saamna in 1992, thus throwing a light on how this Muslim majority ward’s trajectory has changed in the past two and a half decades.

The Shiv Sena’s Mohammad Khan romped home and will be representing the residents of Ward No. 96 (Behrampada) in the Municipal Corporation. He defeated candidates from the Congress, BJP and AIMIM. To understand how a Muslim majority ward voted for the Shiv Sena it is vital to understand how the area has changed.

During the 1992 communal riots that shook Bombay Behrampada shot into prominence when Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna alleged that the area was a haven for anti social activities. Behrampada is a cluster of slums just outside Bandra(E) station that borders the railway tracks. In 1992 the area was in the centre of a storm as the communal frenzy raging in the megapolis left a mark here. It was declared ‘unsafe’ and soon this 5 acre area acquired a reputation as a communal hotspot.

However, over the years, many multi story hutments have come up in this locality, making it even more crowded than it was. Many of the 70,000 residents of Behrampada live in abysmal urban conditions and are vulnerable to accidents.

The multistory hutments are unsafe and there have been building collapses and fires. Last year a fire gutted 60 homes while a building collapse killed 6 children. Strangely, it is the Shiv Sena that has been opposing slum demolitions ordered by the BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta.

The BMC has been demolishing multistory hutments on the grounds that they are unsafe and endanger the lives of residents. However, the Shiv Sena appears to be reaping the benefits of its political stand to oppose demolitions.