MNS joins protest over tree felling in Karjat forest; Raj Thackeray to hold rally on the 27th

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has joined the protest over tree felling in the Karjat-Bhimashankar forest area of Karjat taluka in Raigad district. Party leader Sandeep Deshpande said thousands of trees are being cut in the area for the Torrent hydroelectric energy storage project. The MNS has openly opposed the project.

Deshpande said the felling began without obtaining a gram panchayat resolution. The resolution had not even been approved, and local residents were not taken into confidence. No information was given on what would happen to tribal residents and other locals. He alleged that the felling was started by brushing aside people's opposition.

For this reason, Raj Thackeray will address a rally in Karjat on the 27th of this month. According to Deshpande, the direction of the next phase of the agitation will be decided at that rally.

Deshpande put a direct question to the government. "Is the government doing all this to hand over land to industrialists?" he asked. He said the same thing had happened during the Kumbh Mela in Nashik. He also said Forest Minister Ganesh Naik was not saying a word on the matter.

Meanwhile, MNS president Raj Thackeray had posted a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Gautam Adani on social media on October 22. He has now decided to delete the post. Thackeray clarified that he was removing it out of respect for a request from the Mumbai Police Commissioner.

Deshpande criticised the government on this too. He asked why the Mumbai Police needed to make such a request, who was pressuring them, and whether it was their job. "Bishnoi's goons come and attack, and do the police have time to watch all this? If this is a democracy, is this the police's job?" he said.

Deshpande also asked why the government was so afraid of agitations. He said there was discontent across the country and protests were under way everywhere, which was why people were being told to delete this and delete that. He said the government was nervous because of unrest in the country, and that if those protesting have questions, the government should adopt an approach of talking to them.