Mumbai: The move by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) to begin tree cutting at the Mumbai Metro 3 car depot site has not gone down well with the Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray who merely remarked that the Sena will deal with those who have “murdered” the trees at Aarey after their new government comes to power. However, his son, Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray issuing a terse warning to the government that any attempt to touch the Aarey Milk Colony will not be tolerated.
Replying to queries over seat sharing agreement with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and their Mahayuti allies, the Sena president cryptically remarked that the BJP has shown its allies their place. Thackeray then hastily clarified that the BJP has shown its allies the seats allotted to them. It may be recalled that the BJP had assured that the Mahayuti allies will be allocated 18 seats. But in the end only 14 seats were allocated to its Mahayuti allies, RPI-A, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, Shivsangram and Rayatkranti. Thackerays remarks has created a new controversy for the BJP.
Meanwhile, the Sena has taken the plunge into the agitation with former Mumbai mayor Dr Shubha Raul trying to make a vain bid to entire the depot site area. Speaking to newspersons in the wee hours of Saturday morning, she remarked that she came to know of what “murder of democracy” means. She added that the authorities ought to have uploaded the court order on the website. Raul added that forests like Aarey are the ones that are responsible for keeping the air of Mumbai fresh and clean.
Later in the morning Sena spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi courted arrest at Aarey Milk Colony after she tried to enter from Goregaon Check Post side raising slogans against the tree cutting. Mumbai police has imposed Section 144 in the Aarey Milk Colony area and has prevented agitators from entering the area.
Meanwhile, a senior MMRCL pointed out that the Bombay High Court bench of Justice S C Dharmadhikari and Justice K J Menon had while rejecting the petition on October 4 seeking a stay on the tree cutting, observed that the project has already been delayed by 1.5 years because of all this and we cannot allow this anymore. The official added that despite the fact that the judiciary has been rejecting their claims and they are still taking the whole system for ransom.
Meanwhile, speaking at a function at Rangasharda in Bandra West in which former legislator and Dhangar community leader Prakash Anna Shendge extended support to the Sena, Thackeray remarked that what is the government of any use if it cannot give justice to the community. He added that ordinary people only can bring about change and create history. The Sena president those who join you during the struggle are the ones who are your true companions. Speaking on the occasion, Shendge assured Thackeray that he would strive to ensure victory for the Sena candidates in the October 21 assembly elections.
