Saamana attacks BJP for criticising govt over decision on Aarey Metro car shed

The attack comes after BJP leaders, including former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, criticised Uddhav Thackeray government’s decision to shift Metro car shed out of Aarey colony to Kanjurmarg

In a veiled attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana said political greed ensures support for murderers and rapists while environmental activists, who want to save trees and jungles, are deemed criminals. The attack comes after BJP leaders, including former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, criticised Uddhav Thackeray government’s decision to shift Metro car shed out of Aarey colony to Kanjurmarg.

Aarey car shed which, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced on Sunday, will be shifted to Kanjurmarg. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

Fadnavis had termed the decision as “unfortunate” and “driven by ego”. An editorial in Saamana on Tuesday said that Fadnavis government should have listened to environment lovers’ plea to relocate the Metro car shed.

“After moving the car shed to Kanjur[marg], opponents like BJP are criticising the decision... When Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister, environment lovers protested against the project and they cried over the hacked trees. Was that ego? Fadnavis government should have put aside its ego and respected the environment lovers and moved the car shed to Kanjurmarg,” the editorial said.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Saamana executive editor and Sena chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that the state’s decision is in line with the Centre’s decision to save tigers, environment and Ganga. “In fact, former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis should congratulate Uddhav ji Thackeray for saving environment. He has saved the wildlife there, the trees and other species there. It is Prime Minister Modi’s national programme. Look at his speeches in the last six years, he spoke about saving Ganga, saving tigers and forests. If we saved the lungs of Mumbai, where does the question of ego arise?” Raut asked.

The editorial added that mere speeches on saving environment will not help, but “bold decisions” are needed to save nature. “Murderers and rapists are supported for political benefit but environmental activists, who want to save trees and jungles, are deemed criminals. Mass murder of 2,000 trees was done at night in Aarey [in last October].”