Fadnavis at BJP fast: ‘Cong-NCP refused to part with Indu Mills land for Ambedkar memorial’

Devendra Fadnavis at Vile Parle. (Amit Chakravarty)

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who took part in the day-long fast at Vile-Parle on Thursday alleged that the Congress-NCP failed to part with the Indu Mills land for Dr B R Ambedkar Memorial, as they had set their eyes on its commercial value of Rs 3,000 crore.

He said it took the BJP government just three days to hand over the land. Fadnavis who led the BJP’s day-long fast programme to protest against Opposition’s stalling of the Parliament proceedings asked: “What have they done for Dr B R Ambedkar? What was their contribution for the upliftment of the poor?”

The comment comes in the backdrop of the recent Congress allegations against the BJP saying it promoted caste-based violence,communalism and an anti-Dalit agenda. “The strategy to thwart the Parliament proceedings was both anti-democratic and anti-constitutional,” Fadnavis said. “The treatment meted out to Dr Ambedkar by the Congress is no secret. Whether it relates to electoral politics or his grand memorial at Indu Mills. They (Congress-NCP), with an eye on the Rs 3,000 crore land, refused to give up an inch. I raised the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modiji. In three days, the PM gave the nod for handing over the entire 12.5 hectares of Indu Mills land.”

He added: “The Opposition’s act displays their frustration, as they cannot reconcile to public mandate against them which led to their loss of power.” Their restlessness can be likened to that of “fish out of water”, he said.
“From taking cooking gas connection to households of poor villagers to handing over mudra loans to 10 crore youths, all policies of the Centre and the state are for the upliftment of dalits, OBCs and poor,” the CM said.

State BJP chief Raosaheb Danve said: “The Opposition disallowed work in Parliament and stalled important legislature. It also exposed the double standards as they avoided issues related to development and debate on the floor of the House.” Earlier, MP Poonam Mahajan had said: “The Opposition’s destructive politics cannot undermine the BJP’s determination to carry forward the constructive work for the people.”

On Thursday, BJP MLAs and MPs observed the day-long fast in their respective constituencies.