Mumbai: With the Lok Sabha elections over in Maharashtra, the BJP-led central and state governments have conspired to render “kolis” residing in south Mumbai’s “gaothans” homeless citing threat to the Navy, a Congress legislator alleged on Wednesday. Mumbai voted on April 29 in the Lok Sabha elections. Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap told reporters that the Geeta Nagar, Sundar Nagar and Azad Nagar “gaothans” (old settlements) are located on the naval base here and that the question of their shifting has been raised.
“But the naval base came afterwards. The koli (local fishermen) brothers have been living here since earlier times. The BJP and Shiv Sena are now raising doubts that the slum may pose a threat to the Navy,” Jagtap alleged. The MLC said before the elections, the locals were promised their homes would not be touched to seek their votes.
“But with the elections over, the government has conspired and taken steps to drive the people out,” Jagtap charged. The legislator said Union minister Nitin Gadkari had at an event said people in the BPT area here would not be shifted elsewhere. “But residents living in BPT (port trust) buildings were issued notices a day later,” Jagtap alleged.