Uddhav Thackeray’s Manifesto Promises Free Education for Boys and Job Creation
Mumbai, 8th November 2024: In a bold move ahead of Maharashtra’s 2024 Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray announced his party’s commitment to scrapping the controversial Dharavi redevelopment project if they come to power. During the launch of the party’s manifesto at Matoshree, Mumbai, on Thursday, Thackeray emphasized that the project posed significant ramifications for Mumbai, and vowed to revisit housing policies to accommodate the city’s rapid urbanization.
The announcement comes after the Thackeray faction’s broader promises, which include making education free for male students, and aligning them with their female counterparts who already benefit from such policies. Thackeray also pledged to stabilize the prices of essential commodities, as his party aims to address rising inflation and protect the welfare of common citizens.
In addition to the Dharavi project’s cancellation, the manifesto outlines plans to abolish the cluster development of Koliwadas and Gaothans. These plans, Thackeray noted, would be executed only after consulting the residents, ensuring their needs are taken into account.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader reaffirmed the party’s commitment to job creation as part of their broader socio-economic agenda, signaling a strong focus on uplifting the state’s economy.
However, the proposal has sparked sharp criticism from the BJP. City BJP President Ashish Shelar accused Thackeray of attempting to re-tender the Dharavi project in a bid to acquire valuable land for his son’s interests. Shelar claimed the project was stalled by Thackeray to block housing for the poor, questioning the Sena (UBT) leader’s true intentions. He also challenged Thackeray’s claims regarding the involvement of private players like Adani in the project, asserting that the land was allotted to a state-owned company.
As the election campaign intensifies, the debate over the future of the Dharavi redevelopment and the political ramifications of these proposals will undoubtedly dominate discussions in the coming weeks.
