BEST removes the controversial ad

Mumbai: Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) on Saturday hurriedly started withdrawing from its fleet of city buses a Gujarati daily’s advertisements after a controversy created by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

“We have started removing the advertisements in view of the discussions held yesterday in the BEST Committee meeting. These ads were released through a contractor for about 200 buses in all the 26 depots, they (ads) will be removed over the next few days,” said a top official, requesting anonymity.

MNS took umbrage at the ads by the Gujarat-based Sandesh Newspapers Ltd, heralding its new Mumbai edition in Gujarati, “Sandesh”. The ad proclaimed: “Who is responsible for Mumbai’s financial and intellectual development? We Gujarati’s…”