He claimed migrants residing in illegally constructed houses in the slums were now being provided with houses in Mumbai under the Slums Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scheme. Addressing his party workers at a function in Sewri, Thackeray claimed that while migrants were being given houses, the government had turned a blind eye and ignored public sector employees who had served for several years.
“The state government has given over the land reserved for government employees to some builders and promoters in Bandra suburb. I will see which builder has the courage to construct buildings on that land,” Thackeray said.
“The government land reserved for government employees in Bandra for the rehabilitation work was allotted to DB Realtors and Akruti and Kakade developers without inviting any tenders. The decision to hand over the land to these three builders was taken by the Congress-led government headed by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.” Government employees have protested against the decision to hand over land reportedly reserved for them to the builders.
Now that the MNS chief had extended his party’s support to the employees, there appears to be a sign of confrontation between the government and Thackeray, said a senior government official speaking on condition of anonymity.
“Government employees serve the state loyally till their retirement, but afterward this very government boots them out of their government accommodation. But migrants residing in illegal houses in the slums are provided with concrete houses under the SRA scheme,” said Thackeray.
He added that the government was least bothered by its employees’ welfare, even though the public sector workers had apparently shown a willingness to buy the houses on land reserved for them. “The government ignores their request for houses because politicians and ‘Marathi’ leaders themselves stand solidly behind the builders, support and lobby for them. I dare the builders to come to Bandra and start their construction work,” he said. “The influx of north Indian migrants into Maharashtra is increasing each day. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who contested elections from Uttar Pradesh, was the country’s prime minister for 15 long years.”
He added that after Nehru’s death, his daughter Indira Gandhi remained the country’s Prime Minister for another 15 years. Her sons Rajiv and Sanjay, daughter-in-law Sonia, and grandson Rahul Gandhi also successfully contested elections from the state. “Why then doesn’t Uttar Pradesh prosper and why do the north Indians from that state continue to throng to Maharashtra?” Thackeray asked.
