Metro car shed in Aarey: Face-off between Thackeray-led Shiv Sena & Eknath Shinde govt ahead of BMC elections on the cards
A face-off is expected between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the new government headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde with Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy ahead of BMC elections on the decision to develop a metro car shed in Aarey Colony.
A day after the Shinde-led government after taking over the charge on Thursday directed Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni to submit in court that the Metro car shed will be built in Aarey Colony as planned in 2019 under the Fadnavis-led government, Thackeray strongly opposed it saying, ‘’Don’t project anger for me on Mumbaikars. ‘Don’t change the proposal for the metro shed. Don’t toy with the environment of Mumbai.’’ Thackeray strongly opposed the Shinde-led government’s decision.
However, Fadnavis has rejected Thackeray’s suggestion and made it clear that the government is firm on the construction of a metro car shed in Aarey Colony.
Fadnavis said the Aarey site has already been approved by the Supreme Court. ‘’At Aarey 25% of the work for the metro car shed has already been completed and 75% will be done immediately. I respect Thackeray’s suggestion but I had repeatedly told him that his decision to scrap the metro car shed in Aarey Colony was wrong. I had urged him to keep aside ego and allow the car shed development there,’’ he noted.
Fadnavis objected to the Kanjurmarg land proposed by the Thackeray-led government saying that it was under dispute and even if it comes to the government it will take four years for the construction of a car shed.
Meanwhile, NCP and Congress have also strongly opposed the new government’s decision on reversing the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s decision on the metro car shed in Aarey Colony.
Can’t accept Shinde as Shiv Sena’s CM
Thackeray declined to accept Shinde as the Shiv Sena CM as projected by the latter and BJP. Thackeray said that there would have been no Maha Vikas Aghadi government if there was a Shiv Sena CM for 2.5 years during Sena-BJP alliance.
Further commenting on the formation of new govt, he said, “The manner in which Govt has been formed and a so-called Shiv Sena worker has been made CM, I had said the same to Amit Shah.” ‘’This could’ve been done respectfully. The Shiv Sena was officially with you at that time. This CM (Eknath Shinde) is not a Shiv Sena CM,” he said.
‘’About what happened yesterday, I had told Amit Shah earlier as well that there should be a Shiv Sena CM for 2.5 years (during Shiv Sena-BJP alliance). Had they done this earlier, there would’ve been no Maha Vikas Aghadi,” he said.
Right to Recall
Against the backdrop of a split in the Shiv Sena and the formation of a new government by rebel leader Eknath Shinde and the BJP, Thackeray made a strong case for the Election Commission to introduce the right to recall the elected representatives. He argued that the voters should have a right to recall the elected representative if they were not happy with them. He also argued that the four pillars including executive, legislature, judiciary and press should together come forward to save democracy in the country.
