Aaditya Thackeray Accuses Maharashtra Government of Privatization Spree

Aaditya Thackeray criticized the Maharashtra government and BMC for plans to privatize public spaces and services, such as blood banks, potentially increasing costs for citizens. He condemned turning playgrounds into commercial projects and vowed political resistance.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday accused the Maharashtra government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of attempting to privatise civic blood banks and hand over open spaces in the city to builders.

Addressing a press conference at Shiv Sena Bhavan, Thackeray claimed that the privatisation of municipal blood banks could hike the price of a blood bag from Rs 1,100 to nearly Rs 2,000, severely impacting common citizens.

He further labelled the BMC's improvement committee as a ''deterioration committee'', and demanded a white paper on all land and administrative decisions finalised during the civic administrator's tenure.

The former Maharashtra minister also alleged that a meeting of the BMC improvement committee scheduled for May 20 was cancelled abruptly a day earlier because a ''deal'' had not been finalised.

Opposing the alleged privatisation of civic blood banks, Thackeray claimed that the current cost of a blood bag, around Rs 1,100, could rise to Rs 1,600-2,000 if the move proceeds.

''This is an attempt to sell the blood of Mumbai's citizens,'' he alleged, while demanding that the BJP clarify its official stand on the matter.

Thackeray further alleged that public playgrounds and green zones in Bandra West and D Ward in south Mumbai were being targeted for residential and commercial projects under the guise of infrastructure development.

He also opposed a proposal to convert a football ground in Bandra West into an exhibition or convention centre, alleging that the move would worsen congestion and reduce open spaces in the locality, and claimed that two plots in the D Ward area were proposed to be converted from recreation grounds into residential use.

Thackeray alleged that one such proposal aimed to facilitate the expansion of an industrialist's bungalow.

''We will not let any of this work begin on the ground,'' he said, warning that his party would expose details related to the proposals.