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Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing them of blatant corruption and "selling off" Mumbai's open spaces and playgrounds to "favourite contractors and friends" amid controversy over the three MHADA plots allegedly given on lease to a trust headed by a BJP leader.
Addressing a press conference, Thackeray accused the state government of systematically snatching away recreation grounds and playgrounds from the public to benefit private interests. "This is not a conspiracy; this is corruption happening right in front of your eyes. All these fields, open spaces, recreation grounds, and playgrounds, the Chief Minister is taking them and putting them into his friends' pockets. We have opposed this; we will not just stop at condemnation, but we will take to the streets and protest," Thackeray said. Highlighting a specific instance regarding a plot developed during the MVA regime, he said, "The ground we are sitting on was developed when Harun ji's wife was a corporator, and we held power in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. This ground belongs to the people, featuring a walking track, a cycling track, and an urban forest we created when I was a minister. Now, this plot and two others belonging to MHADA are being handed over to a BJP MLA's trust." Thackeray further alleged a massive valuation scam, stating, "While the plot was previously valued at around Rs 550 crores, the CM is now valuing it at just Rs 21 lakhs per year to gift it to his friend." The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also raised concerns over the Neville D'Souza Football Turf in Bandra, a popular spot for young athletes. "The same is happening with the Neville D'Souza Football Turf, a place where thousands of players participate in the Yuva President's League. They want to take that plot, which is named after an Indian Olympian, and turn it into an exhibition centre named after a BJP leader. From Mulund to Bandra, reservations for sports complexes are being turned into petrol pumps. This mixing of corruption is rampant," he alleged. Urging Mumbaikars to unite against the move, Thackeray announced a protest this weekend. "I am requesting all Mumbaikars to join us at the Neville D'Souza Turf in Bandra this Sunday at 5 PM. Bring no political flags, only the tricolour, as we start this fight against the Chief Minister's corruption. Ultimately, Mumbai's land is being sold, and no matter how much a thief shouts, he remains a thief," he added. Expanding his criticism to the state's infrastructure and urban planning, Thackeray called the current administration "anti-Gen Z." "Whether in Chakan or Hinjewadi, what is being called 'development' is only benefiting favourite contractors and builders while the public suffers from poor roads and water shortages. Development must be sustainable and include open spaces. I clearly allege that the Chief Minister and the BJP are anti-Gen Z; by snatching away sports fields, you are tinkering with the future of India," Thackeray said. (ANI)
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