Aditya Thackeray tells Colaba residents: You are Bhoomiputras

Shiv Sena top brass meets Colaba on Sunday, assures action on Port Trust notices and evictions

It was full house at Radio Club Residency Lounge, as Colaba locals and others traipsed in on Sunday (April 21) morning for a meet with SoBo's Shiv Sena candidate Arvind Sawant. The Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) land, where several buildings have got eviction notices or told to pay rent at market rates running into crores, as well as the hawker problem on the Causeway were some top concerns.

Vote, please

First up, Atul Zaveri trustee of My Dream Colaba (MCD) told the people to, "vote or lose the right to complain." Colaba corporator Makarand Narvekar said, "Take onus of your building and ensure that everybody votes." The meeting spiced up as Narvekar took a swipe with no names taken, saying, "We see a new trend with industrialists supporting candidates. Yet, we do not need industrialists to tell us who to vote for." There were a few chuckles, as this was a reference to Mukesh Ambani and Uday Kotak backing Congress's Milind Deora, standing against Sawant.

Aaditya Thackeray with Arvind Sawant. Pics/Bipin Kokate

Pro-gress, Con-gress

Aaditya Thackeray who surprised several with his arrival at the meeting, first led the group in a two-minute silence for the Sri Lanka terror attack victims. He then said about Colaba, "On Sunday, I am usually in the area, at my usual restaurants." Thackeray told his audience, "Make us accountable. Today, we have the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre, the NDA in the State and NDA in the BMC. That makes it easier for governance."

It seemed to be no name season as Thackeray desisted from names, but simply said, "We have had a past Parliamentarian here for 10 years. We have seen his performance and his government's performance (referring to Milind Deora and Congress)." Thackeray also said one should vote for a, "regional party because the former is hugely important and that is why national parties have them as allies. We need a balance." Thackeray then outlined how Shiv Sena has batted for Mumbai these five years finishing with, "you have a choice between pro and con. Hope you choose Pro-gress over Con-gress."

Notices, rent

Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant who knew he was going to be pinned down over the Public Premises Eviction (PPE) Act and MbPT notices said first up with reference to notices being issued to buildings in the area, "Why should Colaba residents be troubled? Asking them to pay Ready Reckoner market rates is harassment. I have raised this issue in Parliament." Sawant though did say that one must not sensationalise one notice by shouting, "notices are flying". The MP also said, "In certain instances, rent has not been paid at all. We need to look at that, too."

Sawant then added, "I am your voice. My 'friend' [referring to Milind Deora] did not deliver. I have never been silent on the MbPT issue. The Shiv Sena is with you. As an MP I am concerned and I am for the masses and the classes." Deora, too, has had a number of meetings with residents on the same subject. Sawant said, "My friend had confined himself within four walls after he lost the election. Now, he has emerged."

Shame, shame

The 80-minute meeting then opened up to an interactive session. Cries of Shame! Shame! resounded in the lounge as Colaba local Pervez Cooper acknowledged that Sawant had attempted to solve the Port Trust eviction notices problem by taking residents to meet Minister Nitin Gadkari in Delhi, but, "Arvindji's voice was not heard. Letters we were told to write have gone into the dustbin, the great man [Nitin Gadkari] in New Delhi will take no notice."

Applause rang out and cries of shame! were reiterated. Thackeray said after assurances on special status to Colaba, market plot issue and other issues, "I will bring Nitin Gadkari here to Mumbai to see the pain in your eyes. You are the Bhoomiputras [sons of the soil] and nobody can evict you from your homes when the Shiv Sena stands with you," as the meeting ended on a, 'do-we-believe-them-and-if-not-what-choice-do-we-have?' note.

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