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Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Thackerays’ ‘Taandav’ for trees, tigers

AI generated image Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray launched a sharp attack on the government for the systematic degradation of the state’s environment under the garb of development, even as the climate change poses a direct threat to the environment, economy, agriculture, public health and the future of both rural and urban centres. Questioning the state government’s claims of having planted millions of trees, he rued how the World Environment Day has been...

Thackerays’ ‘Taandav’ for trees, tigers

AI generated image Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray launched a sharp attack on the government for the systematic degradation of the state’s environment under the garb of development, even as the climate change poses a direct threat to the environment, economy, agriculture, public health and the future of both rural and urban centres. Questioning the state government’s claims of having planted millions of trees, he rued how the World Environment Day has been reduced to an annual ritual of tree-planting drives and clicking selfies for social media, though 90 pc of the saplings don’t survive even a day. “Only the government knows where those trees really are,” said Raj sternly. He recalled a "Blueprint of Maharashtra’s Development" he had proposed in 2015, in which he advocated how development without environmental sensitivity is hollow. Justifying, he said that the consequences are visible where roads, bridges and infrastructure projects are hailed as achievements, but even a short spell of rainfall can paralyze entire cities. Referring to recent reports on farmers returning from the fields after 10 am due to the scorching heat, Raj said that the worsening climate crisis has become an everyday reality. Citing official statistics, Raj claimed that extreme heat has caused productivity losses of nearly USD 159 billion and slashing of 160 billion work-hours annually in recent years. He mentioned the World Bank estimates that India’s GDP could plummet by 2.5-4.5 pc while 57 pc of the country’s districts sheltering 76 pc of the population stare at serious climate-related crises. Taking a swipe, he said while the governments boast about growth figures and economical rankings, they are silent on the staggering costs of environmental destruction. He questioned the development model “whether flooded cities, washed-away crops and unbearable summers” genuinely indicate progress. Claiming that Maharashtra was increasingly becoming unliveable for upto 8 months in a year, he said excessive monsoon rains disrupt rural life and urban floods cripple cities, while extreme heat make normal life a torture in summers in both urban-rural areas. Targeting the Centre, Raj alleged that nearly 173,984 hectares of forest lands were diverted in the past 11 years for mining and infrastructure projects to benefit the PM’s single favourite Adani Group. He said that these lands amount to 1,730 sqkm, or equivalent to the area of 16 Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) that is spread over barely 104 sqkm. Dissolve state wildlife board: Aaditya Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray has accused the Maharashtra government for issuing a permit to carry out mining activity in the sensitive tiger corridor between the Tadoba-Andhari and Indravati sanctuaries housing the big striped cats. In a strongly-worded letter to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) Member-Secretary Sanjay Kumar, Thackeray sought his immediate personal intervention, sacking the Maharashtra State Board for Wild-Life (SBWL), revoking the permit, and probe against the Chief Wildlife Warden & Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) M. Srinivasa Reddy for the alleged lacunae. Aditya’s two-pager says the permit has been granted for “scientific exploration and excavation/systematic recovery of low-grade iron ore in existing mines in villages Hedri, Bande, Parsalgondi and Round Parsalgondi, in the Etapalli taluka of Gadchiroli district”. Last January, Aditya – MLA from Worli – had first raised the issue saying that the proposed mine would create only 120 jobs, including 32 permanent, and the estimated output is pegged at 1.1 million tons in a year. Referring to two letters of Reddy – on April 28 and May 21 – the SS (UBT) leader claimed that in communications to the state government, the PCCF had changed his stance on the issue. Aditya said that in the first letter, Reddy had effectively opposed the government plans for mining activity but in the second letter, he took a somersault, ostensibly due to government pressures or some commercial interests, “the U-turn is disgraceful and detrimental to India’s national interest” – and this abrupt shift in stance must be investigated thoroughly. In view of the contrary stance of the PCCF Reddy, entrusted with protecting the wildlife but failing to defend the NTCA and NBWL, point to serious malfunctioning of the SBWL, and hence it must be dissolved, besides reviewing all its decisions in the past three years, particularly those pertaining to hazardous activities in sensitive areas, demanded Aditya. 444 tigers roam in 11,000 sq.km As per the Status of Tiger Report (2002), and the Maharashtra Economic Survey 2025-2026, the state boasts of 444 tigers prowling in the wild along with other menacing creatures. The state’s total protected wildlife network of 88 Notified Areas of National Parks, Sanctuaries, and Conservation Reserves - including 6 dedicated to the striped big cats – is spread over 11,092 sq. kms as per current data.

Comatose to combat-ready

Congress takes on the government with a new zeal

Mumbai Youth Congress workers organise 'Yuva Akrosh Morcha' in Dadar, Mumbai, on Tuesday to protest against the NEET and CBSE examination scams. Pic: Bhushan Koyande
Mumbai Youth Congress workers organise 'Yuva Akrosh Morcha' in Dadar, Mumbai, on Tuesday to protest against the NEET and CBSE examination scams. Pic: Bhushan Koyande

Mumbai: For over a decade since it was eased out of power, the Maharashtra Congress faced a series of electoral debacles, a demoralised organisation and receding visibility – the last which mattered most.

 

That perception is apparently changing as the state and city units have gone on the offensive with a series of agitations or protests, raising issues that directly affect the ordinary citizens.

 

Though it has been a key constituent of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) since 2019, it clawed to retain its identity as a national party and an independent political force locking horns with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

 

Raising a Storm

In the past few months, either independently, with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi or in alliance with MVA constituents like Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress is raising a storm with major issues that rule headlines.

 

These include soaring inflation, fuel price hikes and shortage of gas, petrol or diesel, water crises in many parts, farmers distress, examination paper leak controversies, etc.

 

These are not only winning hearts but grabbing eyeballs in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Nashik, Pune, Nagpur and other regions with massive grassroots participation and public mobilisation – proving the party is reading the peoples’ pulse correctly – rather than confining itself to media or online crusades.

 

Rahul’s Credit

The transformation is largely credited to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, which the state chief Sapkal – who took charge in Feb. 2025 – taking it forward passionately to the rank and file, spread in the remotest corners of Maharashtra.

 

“He took over the onerous responsibility when the party morale was at its lowest. He launched the ‘Sapkal Pattern’, focussing on energizing the crucial booth-level workers who have direct connect with the ordinary voters, reconnected with local-level issues to keep up the tempo between two elections,” said a Mumbai-based senior leader.

 

On his part, Sapkal has repeatedly given booster doses to the workers, saying the Congress has been a ‘fighter party’ and never shies from taking up issues concerning the common masses.

 

Opposition Space

Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe said the party is implementing the wishes of Rahul Gandhi and the central leadership, handling key states personally and the “changes are visible”.

 

“We shall not allow BJP to get a walkover in anything through its bulldozer tactics. We are with the people of the country and raise their concerns through campaigns and agitations. We will safeguard the Opposition space which is being blatantly encroached upon by the ruling party at all levels,” said a determined Londhe.

 

A Mumbai frontal organisation vice-president said since long, the grassroots cadres of the Congress felt ignored as burning problems of the ordinary masses were not effectively highlighted by the party which seemed to wake up only when the poll bugles were sounded.

 

“Not anymore… We are present everywhere. The people are suffering because of the BJP’s policies. The youth are frustrated as the government doesn’t listen to them and instead labels them as parasites or cockroaches,” said the leader, preferring anonymity.

 

Vocal, visible streetfighter

The Congress recently carried out a series of aggressive people-oriented protests - roadblocks against fuel price hikes, bicycle and motorcycle rallies organised by the Youth Congress, demonstrations highlighting inflation, protests over onion prices and farmers woes, ‘handa morcha’ against water scarcity in Mumbai, agitations over examination paper leaks and other irregularities.

 

Positioning itself as the prominent voice of public discontent, the Congress campaigns spanned the state, involving all classes and communities while identifying with the voters who are desperately struggling for survival.

 

While MVA allies also challenge the government, many say the Congress is seen as leading from the front to gradually emerge as the Opposition’s most visible and vocal street-fighting force, setting the agenda for other parties to become an election-ready entity by 2029.

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