Actor Dino Morea, whose firm had installed an open air gym at Marine Drive last year, has decided not to seek extension for the fitness station, prompting Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray to blame systemic apathy and political rivalry for stalling such initiatives.
Aditya vented out his frustration in an open letter he wrote today which he later posted on his Twitter handle.
The open air fitness centre was installed at the Marine Drive promenade in July last year by Dino's DM Fitness and was inaugurated by Aaditya.
"Earlier this morning, I was informed by Dino Morea that he has taken off the open air, free to all gym stations he had installed at Marine Drive, not choosing to seek an extension. I respect his sentiments.
"I find it funny that the objections to the open gym, politically motivated, range from reasons such as obscenity of shorts to heritage precinct not feasible for working out...I have no personal stake in the gym. It's a free of cost initiative done by Dino. Such facilities are needed. I will support anyone who does this for my city," he said.
Attacking BJP's Colaba MLA Raj Purohit for opposing the open air gym, he said, "MLA Shri Raj Purohit ji, in his interview said it (gym) has become an obstruction for walkers. Also the place has become obscene for women as men come to the gym wearing shorts.
"We are in 2016! Most of us do work out or even roam around in shorts. It's normal, not obscene," the Thackeray scion said.
"We cannot let politics kill such initiatives. Politics must do good for the city, rivalries are for elections. I would rather urge others to support such initiatives, not just by Dino, but anyone who wants to do such great stuff for citizens. The scale does not matter, its the utility we are providing.
"I apologise on behalf of those who lacked the empathy in the system, to see how this benefits you, and I'm sure we shall have this initiative again, when we have people who care, who understand and talk development, not politics," he added.
