Aaditya slams Metro over tree cutting, urges CM to spare

Hitting out at the Mumbai Metro authorities for felling trees in Aarey Colony, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday came out in support of environmental activists who have been detained or arrested.

Thackeray, whose party is ally of the ruling BJP, requested Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ask the city police not to file cases against the protesters who tried to stop the tree cutting.

The police have arrested at least 29 protesters.

Expressing concern about students and others getting booked under non-bailable sections of IPC, Aaditya took to twitter, saying it would be a shame if these people were arrested and cases were filed against them.

"It would be a shame if we do that. I call out and request the Chief Minister to look into this and ask the police to not put any cases for people with love for the environment. We would be hypocritical then at the United Nations if we do this," he said.

"The use of a large number of police personnel, hacking of trees in the dead of the night, even after winning in the court (then why not in broad daylight) and detention of peaceful protesters and citizens. Who is authorising this? during the code of conduct? all these powers handed to MMRC (Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation)?" he asked.

Earlier in the day, Aaditya said the officials of the Mumbai Metro 3 should be posted in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to destroy terror camps, rather than the trees in the city.

"Wonder why Mumbai Metro is treating Mumbaikars like criminals and not listening to their sensible demand of sustainable development," Thackeray tweeted.

The Union ministry of environment and climate change can not justify its existence or speak about plastic pollution when Mumbai Metro 3 is senselessly destroying Aarey, Mumbai's green lung, he added.

"This ego battle taken up by Metro 3 is destroying the purpose of making it," the 29-year-old leader, who is making his electoral debut from Worli Assembly constituency in Mumbai in October 21 Maharashtra elections, said.

"The vigour with which the Mumbai Metro 3 is slyly and swiftly cutting down an ecosystem in Aarey is shameful and disgusting. How about posting these officials in POK giving them charge to destroy terror camps rather than trees," Thackeray added.

"A project that should be executed with pride...Mumbai Metro 3 had to do it in the cover of the night, with shame, slyness and heavy cop cover. The project supposed to get Mumbai clean air, is hackinga forest with a leopard, rusty spotted cat and more," he said in another tweet.

The MMRCL started cutting trees in Aarey from Friday evening to make way for its car shed, hours after the Bombay High Court dismissed petitions challenging the decision to allow felling of trees.