Sena chief blames courts for slow progress of SRD

Thackeray took potshots at Ministers too, saying they fancied laying foundation stones of such projects but never bothered to follow up on their progress. “There has beenone slum project where the bhoomipujan ceremony was held five times,” he quipped. “Another site near my house in Bandra, where Indira Gandhi had laid the foundation stone years ago, has been untouched since.” He said: “The rehabilitation of 40 lakh slumdwellers should be on a war footing. I don’t want a few odd buildings being completed at intervals.”

The Sena chief further observed that laws like the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ), which came in the way of development, should be amended, if not scrapped. He also expressed concern over increasing infiltration of Bangladeshi immigrants into the country. “Already six states have Hindus as the minority, but the Centre does not seem to be worried.”

Criticising Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, he added: “She rushes to Dangs from Delhi to give solace to Christians who have been attacked, but does she care about Kashmiri Hindus who are being killed in the Valley?” Later, in response to a question, he told this paper: “I cannot comment whetherconversions are being forced or not, but if they are forced it is not right.” He continued to play safe uncharacteristically and said, “The Centre is doing its best in tackling the issue.” He also stressed he didn’t bow down to L K Advani over the India-Pakistan cricket controversy.

Earlier, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, who also addressed the huge crowd, declared that under the new modified DC rules, old tenanted chawls will also be reconstructed on the same plot they occupy, and tenants will be given 225 sq ft tenements free of cost. The BMC land on which the Chaudhary Wadi slum was located is reserved for Projected Affected Persons’ housing project, said Sena leader Vilas Avachat, but now local residents want it to be reserved as a playground.