After the newly-formed government led by Eknath Shinde made a decision to shift the Metro 3 car shed again, which was opposed by the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, former environment minister Aaditya Thackeray hit the streets and joined the protesters at Aarey colony on Sunday, July 10.
A group of young people accompanied by a few middle-aged were seen protesting in the Aarey colony in Goregaon this morning against the metro car shed project. They were seen holding placards and banners of 'Save Aarey Forest', while a few also raised anti-government slogans.
While talking to media at the protest, Aaditya said that the MVA government had shifted the car depot to Kanjurmarg and the land could be used to house composite depots for four metro railway routes -- III (Colaba to SEEPZ), IV (Wadala to Gaimukh), VI (Swami Samarth Nagar to Kanjurmarg) and XIV (Badlapur-Kanjurmarg). Depots for four lines would have been at one place. This would have saved between ₹8,500 to ₹10,000 crores, he added.
Aarey is a unique forest within our city. Uddhav Thackeray ji declared 808 acres of Aarey as Forest and the car shed must move out. Our human greed and lack of compassion cannot be allowed to destroy biodiversity in our city. pic.twitter.com/YNbS0ryd8d
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) July 10, 2022
"This is a fight for Mumbai, fight for life. We fought for forest and to protect our tribals. When we were, here no trees were uprooted. Whatever anger they (Maharashtra government) have against us should not be taken out on the city. Jungles and the environment need to be protected, climate change is upon us," he added.
Also Read: Reconsider Plan To Move Metro Car Shed From Aarey To Kanjurmarg: Centre To Maharashtra
Meanwhile, on the same day, speaking in Mumbai's northern suburb Dahisar as part of his 'Nishtha (loyalty) Yatra', Thackeray said those who wanted to leave the Sena have gone, but the grassroot Shiv Sainiks continue to support the party, led by his father and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
आज निष्ठा यात्रेच्या अनुषंगाने बोरिवली, दहिसर, मागाठाणे येथील शाखांना भेट देत शिवसैनिकांशी संवाद साधला. pic.twitter.com/30ZjElzdzH
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) July 10, 2022
He also claimed the grassroot Shiv Sena workers were firmly with the organisation, despite "betrayal" by those whom the party trusted.
Share
Tweet
