The Shiv Sena, which never loses an opportunity to take on ally BJP, on Saturday took the issue of tree felling at Mumbai's Aarey Colony to slam Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) and hit back at the BJP-led state government, of which it is a part. While Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray, the party's candidate from Worli constituency in Mumbai, said late Saturday that his party would ensure Aarey is declared a forest after it comes to power in the state, another Sena leader, Maharashtra's Minister of State for Housing Ravindra Waikar, told The Sunday Express that “relocation of the (Metro) car shed on an adjoining plot would have saved large-scale destruction of trees”. Waikar, who is also MLA of Jogeshwari (East), where both sites are located, said he had discussed the option with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and officials of MMRCL in the past. Throwing his weight behind activists protesting against felling of trees, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said, “Aarey is the most important issue for me right now. Whatever is happening today, whatever was happening yesterday, and whatever will happen in future.. I will collect detailed information of what the situation is and will speak firmly and directly on the issue.” Firing a barb at ally BJP, Thackeray said, “The upcoming government will be ours, and once it comes into power, we will deal with the murderers of Aarey forest in the best possible way we can.” Interacting with the media in Worli constituency, Aaditya said, “I am angry and sad. I never felt MMRCL would steal the plot in such a manner. If they had guts after the court gave the order in their favour, they should have done it in daylight. It is wrong to do such work by using so much police force, treating it as PoK. “We will not tolerate dadagiri on Mumbaikars.” Seeking to explain why the Sena has not taken a more proactive role in saving the trees, Aaditya said: “Our hands are tied due to the elections and the code of conduct. But when we return to power, we will ensure that Aarey is declared a forest.” While the hacking of trees is going on at a 30-hectare green portion that was earlier reserved by the Fadnavis government for a “Metro car shed and allied uses”, minister Waikar said, “I feel the entire ordeal could have been avoided. The adjoining plot (partially slum encumbered) is big. I had suggested that the car shed be constructed there. The hutments could have been redeveloped or rehabilitated. That way, the car shed could have come up without destruction of the trees.” Meanwhile, Congress candidate Sunil Kumre questioned Waikar’s lack of interest in the movement. “Every Sunday, a ‘Save Aarey’ protest was held. The MLA of the area has never come.” He said the state government showed unprecedented hurry following the Bombay HC judgment and gave “no time to activists to approach the Supreme Court”. By Saturday afternoon, former Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam reached the site and joined the protest. He blamed the Sena for exhibiting “hypocritical attitude” towards the Aarey issue. “They should take a stand but they aren't. Sena must break coalition with BJP if it supports the Aarey cause," Nirupam said. Former mayor Shubha Raul, who was detained on Saturday morning, said the local Sena cadre has been supporting the Aarey cause. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik also questioned the BJP-Sena alliance over Aarey issue. “Now that trees are being felled where are those environment lovers who banned plastic?” he said in a statement.
