‘BJP conspiring to turn Mumbai into a union territory’: Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut

Sanjay Raut further said that the group may move to court on the grounds that the percentage of Marathi-speaking people in Mumbai is declining and hence the city should be made a Union territory.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Friday launched an all-out attack on the BJP- led central government, saying that the “Bharatiya Janata Party is conspiring to make Mumbai a Union Territory”. Raut alleged that the entire conspiracy is led by former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya and a group of party leaders, builders, businessmen were part of this conspiracy.

Senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut.  (PTI file)

“Presentations happening in Mumbai by them (BJP) to make Mumbai a city that can be ruled by Central govt. Person who has sponsored such presentations is a big builder from Mumbai; person from Varanasi also involved. Entire conspiracy is led by Kirit Somaiya” Raut was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Raut further said that the group may move to court on the grounds that the percentage of Marathi-speaking people in Mumbai is declining and hence the city should be made a Union territory under the central government rule.

Raut said Somaiya had earlier challenged the state government's decision to make Marathi a compulsory language in schools.

Yesterday, also, Raut attacked Somaiya, and alleged that the former Lok Sabha MP siphoned off money in the name of funds collected to save warship INS Vikrant from getting dismantled.

“Crores were collected by Kirit Somaiya on the pretext of saving INS Vikrant. The money was then taken to Somaiya's Neelam Nagar office (in Mulund in northeast Mumbai), some money was taken to Juhu. The money was laundered through the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank,” the Sena MP said.

Somaiya was dismissive of the charge, saying that this was an attempt to divert attention and that Raut must produce the evidence in support of its allegation.