'Uddhav Thackeray ji, his son cannot dictate Mumbai's fate': Piyush Goyal hits back at criticism on 'shifting slum' proposal

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 30 : Union Minister and BJP's candidate from Mumbai North, Piyush Goyal, hit back at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray's criticism regarding proposal to shift slums to salt pan lands.
Goyal slammed Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray saying that they cannot 'dictate the fate of Mumbai' and added that opposing a vision that transforms the city reflects their 'anti-development agenda'.
In a post on social media handle, X, Goyal said, "Uddhav Thackeray ji and his son cannot dictate the fate of Mumbai. This city sustains the dreams and aspirations of everyone who calls it their home. Those who live in the slums of the city have every right to a better life. To oppose me for a vision that sees Mumbai transform into one of the finest cities in the world reflects their anti-development agenda."
"Their blind opposition to our bold ideas and commitment to take development to every doorstep reeks of a mindset to keep the people suppressed and deprived," Goyal said in his post.
He further alleged that Uddhav Thackeray cannot provide solutions but only 'create discord' in society.
"We are committed to providing a good home to every slum dweller and rehabilitating them where they live. The discredited, disheartened, demoralised and derailed leadership of Uddhav ji cannot provide solutions but only create discord in society," the post mentioned.
https://x.com/PiyushGoyal/status/1774081054569361525?s=20
Earlier, speaking at an election event, Piyush Goyal, who is the BJP's candidate from Mumbai North said that if elected, his government would pursue a project to make Mumbai 'slum-free'.
Reportedly, Goyal's constituency, Mumbai North has two major slum areas, namely Ganpat Patil Nagar in Dahisar and Ambujwadi in Malad West.
"Who likes to live in slums, nobody chooses to live in slums, they are forced to do it. So we as governing bodies should help give them a life of dignity," Goyal said during the event.
He suggested that salt pan lands be put to that use, wherever salt is not being made.
However, this proposal invited criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Aaditya Thackeray earlier in the day.
"In an interview with a major newspaper, Union Minister Piyush Goyal mentioned that he wants to make Mumbai slum-free and the way he wants to make Mumbai slum-free is by shifting or forcefully shifting all of this slums to salt pan lands of Mumbai," Aaditya Thackeray said while speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Saturday.
"Today he wants to force, slum dwellers from all across Mumbai to go to salt pan lands. This is unjust, this is dictatorship. A lot of slum dwellers come here to work day and night. They have local jobs, local businesses, local employment," he added.
Highlighting the rehabilition works by Mumbai's Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Thackeray said, "You cannot forcefully shift anyone in this country. The most important thing being they have to be heard, they have a voice. A lot of slum rehabilitation processes are going across in Mumbai and across the country. But largely in Maharashtra, the SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) in Mumbai is actively working on giving them homes that they really deserve."
"And same is the case with Dharavi, they want to force them out of Dharavi to go to salt pan lands for the next 16 or 17 years. This is what we are against, this is what we want to stop. All of us want development. All of us want sustainable development. And all of us want dignity to life without being forced by dictator to move away. This is a core issue for a lot of Mumbaikars and I believe Mumbaikars will lot on this issue," he said.