Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has launched a fierce attack on the Mahayuti government, alleging a massive flow of money ahead of elections. He questioned whether votes were being bought, calling it a sign of “arrogance of power” and a major eruption of corruption.
Thackeray claimed that sealed sacks of cash were being opened for the campaign, yet no one was willing to explain the source of these funds. He said Maharashtra is witnessing rulers who neither listen to farmers nor engage with citizens.
Pollution, Projects and ‘Contractor-Driven Development’
He also raised concerns over worsening air pollution in Mumbai over the past two to three years, saying the city’s air has become hazardous to health. “This isn’t just dust and smoke. These are clouds of corruption rising from a volcanic outbreak,” he alleged.
Thackeray said that during his tenure as Chief Minister, he had immediately halted the Aarey Metro car shed project. But now, he claimed, trees are being cut again “in the name of development,” while the real beneficiaries are contractors. He accused the government of targeting Sanjay Gandhi National Park as part of a larger plan that would ultimately destroy Tapovan.
Tapovan Trees and the ‘Hypocrisy of Hindutva’
Speaking on the proposed Sadhu Gram project in Tapovan, Thackeray said he is not opposed to the project itself — but strongly objects to the destruction of thousands of trees in a sacred area. “First they cut trees, then promise to replant them. This is corruption in the name of Hindutva,” he said.
He further stated, “That’s why we say BJP’s Hindutva is a façade. They chant Ram, but stand with Adani.” Thackeray declared that Tapovan is sanctified by the footsteps of Lord Ram, and accused the government of making a “pathetic attempt” to claim religious merit by destroying such a holy site.