Aaditya Thackeray leads protest to save Mumbai ground from BJP takeover

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray led the 'Maidan Bachao Tiranga Andolan' in Mumbai to protest the alleged takeover of Neville D'Souza Football Ground. He accused the BJP of a political move to hand the ground over to its associates.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday led the 'Maidan Bachao Tiranga Andolan' against the alleged takeover of Neville D'Souza Football Ground in Mumbai. Speaking to reporters, Thackeray alleged that the move to takeover the ground was political and accused the BJP of seeking to hand it over to its "friends, trusts, and associates". "The issue of snatching away the ground--is political. The BJP wants to take over the ground and hand it over to its friends, trusts, and associates," Thackeray said.

Drawing an analogy with football, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said a "red card" had effectively been shown. "A 'red card' has effectively been shown; the government is behaving just like a red-card situation in football. In football, a red card is shown for a foul or wrongdoing. That is what we are telling the government: to get off our field," he said.

Arvind Sawant Backs Protest

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant backed the 'Maidan Bachao Tiranga Andolan' led by party leader Aaditya Thackeray, saying Mumbai's open grounds must be protected to ensure facilities for youth and children who play sports. "This is about the facilities for the youth and children who play sports in Mumbai. If every playground is encroached upon, then where will the youth play?" Sawant said.

He said Aaditya Thackeray had called upon people to bring only the Tricolour and not party flags to the protest. Sawant said Thackeray had taken a significant stand to protect all of Mumbai's open grounds and that a pledge to this effect was being taken during the protest. "He has taken a significant stand to protect all of Mumbai's open grounds; a pledge to that effect is being taken today," he said.

Thackeray Alleges Widespread Corruption

Earlier on Thursday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray launched a scathing attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing blatant corruption and "selling off" Mumbai's open spaces and playgrounds to "favourite contractors and friends" amid controversy over the three MHADA plots allegedly given on lease to a trust headed by a BJP leader.

Addressing a press conference, Thackeray accused the state government of systematically snatching away recreation grounds and playgrounds from the public to benefit private interests. "This is not a conspiracy; this is corruption happening right in front of your eyes. All these fields, open spaces, recreation grounds, and playgrounds, the Chief Minister is taking them and putting them into his friends' pockets. We have opposed this; we will not just stop at condemnation, but we will take to the streets and protest," Thackeray said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also raised concerns over the Neville D'Souza Football Turf in Bandra, a popular spot for young athletes. "The same is happening with the Neville D'Souza Football Turf, a place where thousands of players participate in the Yuva President's League. They want to take that plot, which is named after an Indian Olympian, and turn it into an exhibition centre named after a BJP leader. From Mulund to Bandra, reservations for sports complexes are being turned into petrol pumps. This mixing of corruption is rampant," he alleged. (ANI)

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