Tree cutting for Bal Thackeray memorial? Fadnavis' wife calls Shiv Sena hypocrite

Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis' wife Amruta on Sunday called the Shiv Sena a "hypocrite" after reports emerging confirmed that a memorial for party patriarch late Bal Thackeray in Aurangabad would require felling of some 1,000 trees. Pre-Assembly elections, BJP's former ally Shiv Sena had opposed the cutting of trees for the Metro Line 3 car shed in Mumbai's Aarey Colony citing environmental concerns. BJP and Shiv Sena, the saffron allies for decades had a fallout over the rotational chief minister position. 

Posting a photo of a news piece, Amruta Fadnavis in a tweet said,  "Hypocrisy is a disease! Get well soon Shiv Sena. Tree cutting - at ur convenience or allowing tree cutting only when you earn a commission - unpardonable sins."  

However, Aurangabad Mayor Nandkumar Ghodele, in a media statement, claimed his administration would not allow trees to be cut for the Thackeray memorial. "We are going to ensure that no trees are cut for the construction of the memorial," he said.

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CM Uddhav halts Aarey construction

Uddhav Thackeray on Friday announced that no more trees will be felled in the Aarey colony, after his cabinet meeting. While Thackeray has not stopped the metro-3 car shed project in the Aarey colony, he has assured that 'not a single leaf of Aarey will be axed', in a press conference after taking charge as CM. He has further said that construction will commence only after a thorough investigation is conducted on the project and a decision is taken.

Earlier on October 7, the Supreme Court put an interim stay on the felling of trees in Mumbai's Aarey to set up Metro car shed, asking the government to maintain status-quo after an appeal by students. "Don't cut anything now," said Supreme Court on Aarey forest for it to examine the matter further. A special bench of justices Arun Mishra and Ashok Bhushan started hearing the plea filed by a delegation of law students on the felling of trees. 

Uddhav Thackeray even dropped the cases on Sunday night registered against green activists who tried to stop the felling of trees in Aarey Colony. "I have directed police officials to withdraw the cases registered against green activists who were protesting against chopping of trees in the Aarey forest area," Thackeray told reporters. The CM reiterated that he was not stopping any metro project in Mumbai.  Shiv Sena's Worli MLA, Aaditya Thackeray told Republic prior to the Assembly elections that Aarey must be declared as a forest.

(with PTI inputs) 

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