Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday (July 20) lashed out at the BJP-led Centre over ‘Dharavi redevelopment tender awarded to Gautam Adani’ and said that his party won’t let Mumbai turn into “Adani city”. He vowed that the project will be scrapped if his party comes to power in Maharashtra.
"During Manmohan Ji's government, GIFT City was coming here, we welcomed it. Modi Ji took GIFT City to Gujarat. Now giving GIFT City to Gujarat and Adani City to Maharashtra, we will not let this happen. We will scrap the Dharavi slum redevelopment project tender after coming to power. The government should give an answer as to why it should not be scrapped now itself. The identity that Mumbai has will remain in Mumbai, we will not let it change into Adani City," Thackeray said.
Thackeray said his party will ensure Dharavi residents and businesses are not uprooted, adding that people staying there must be given 500 square feet houses in the locality itself.
"There is no mention of how Dharavi will be developed. Where will Dharavi residents go? If you look at the tender, it seems like a trap. The tender should be cancelled. Dharavi residents should definitely get a 500-square-feet house," he said.
Furthermore, Thackeray demanded that redevelopment in Dharavi should not displace anyone, adding that if Adani cannot do it, they should surrender, and a re-tender should be issued.
"Our demand is that no one from Dharavi should ever be displaced. If Adani can't do it, they should surrender and a re-tender be issued," he said.
Thackeray added that he won't let Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's plans turn Mumbai into an Adani city.
"In Dharavi, we launched a campaign that redevelopment should give people their rightful homes...Modi and Shah claim to make Mumbai an Adani city, but we will not let that happen... Thackeray said.
(With inputs from agencies)
