The Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) have opposed Sharad Pawar’s views over Centre’s said attempts to separate Mumbai from the rest of Maharashtra.
Shiv Sena, which has its origin in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, had always been saying that the successive governments at the centre tried to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra and make it a ‘union territory’. While the party used this argument against Congress in the past, post 2014, when Modi came to power at centre, Shiv Sena started using it against the BJP.
Pawar in his autobiography wrote there is no such plan to make Mumbai a UT
However, Sharad Pawar, in his autobiography ‘Lok Majhe Sangati’ (My Fellow People) has countered the argument.
“All the discussions regarding separation of Mumbai from Maharashtra should now be stopped. I say this with responsibility that no leader at centre wants to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra,” Pawar has written in his book.
Uddhav Thackeray, however, has said that he is firm on his views and opinions and would keep on airing them.
“There might be differences of opinions. However, I shall see to it that the differences won’t affect the unity of the alliance,” Thackeray said on Thursday while speaking to reporters.
Interestingly, now Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Nana Patole too has supported Thackeray’s views on the centre's approach towards Mumbai.
Nana Patole: BJP trying to reduce the importance of Mumbai
The BJP government is making a deliberate attempt to reduce the importance of Mumbai, Patole has said in a press statement.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Delhi is constantly trying to reduce the importance of Mumbai and Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital of the country, Mumbai city has an important place in the world, all important financial institutions, headquarters of various companies are in Mumbai, this importance of Mumbai is hurting the eyes of BJP leaders. Attempts are being made to reduce the importance of Mumbai by shifting the important offices in Mumbai to Gujarat,” Patole said in the statement.
Patole also cited several projects that have recently moved from Mumbai or Maharashtra to Gujarat in support of his argument.
“Bullet train is being imposed on Mumbai and Maharashtra when there is no need for them. The International Financial Services Center located at BKC in Mumbai has been shifted to Gandhinagar. Office of Patents, Designs and Trademarks was shifted to Delhi, National Marine Police Academy was shifted from Palghar to Dwarka in Gujarat. A large group of the diamond industry in Mumbai was located in the Pancharatna Building which too has been moved to Gujarat. Important offices and projects in Mumbai and the state are being shifted out of the state at the behest of Delhi. Since Mumbai cannot be taken to Gujarat, the BJP's plan is to destroy it,” Patole said in the statement.
