Shiv Sena opposes BJP on Aarey deforestation, slams protestors' arrest

Shiv Sena has slammed its ally BJP over the felling of trees in Mumbai's Aarey Colony on Monday, October 7. Sena-backed news daily Saamna has compared the deforestation of Aarey to that of Amazon rain forest fire stating that there was a hue and cry over the Amazon fire but for Aarey, neither the Prime Minister got emotional nor the Chief Minister seems to be worried.

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'It would have received attention had it happened in western countries'

"Trees are being murdered as they cannot speak or vote", said the news daily. "If the movement to save Aarey had taken place in a western country such as America or a European nation, then it would have received much wider attention. If there is a forest fire abroad then people cry over it but here when the forest is being murdered, neither the Prime Minister is affected nor the Chief Minister is worried about it," said the news daily and went on to call the suppression by the government on this issue as "dictatorship".

READ | Aarey Protest: Supreme Court to hear case on Oct 7 amid tree-felling

Sena's youngest leader Aaditya Thackeray has also taken to Twitter to slam the government's move of Aarey deforestation in a series of tweets.

READ | Aarey Protest: 29 protesters who were granted bail may not leave jail

'Development cannot be sought at the cost of killing nature'

The party mouthpiece also slammed the Prime Minister for not speaking against the Aarey deforestation. "On one hand, the nature-loving Prime Minister calls for the purification of Ganga and Yamuna, while on the other hand, he allows the cutting of Aarey jungle. Development cannot be sought at the cost of killing nature. The government has committed a sin of cutting trees during the night like robbers and thieves do their robbery in the night without anyone noticing, the government will have to pay for its sins" it stated.

Indians slam tree-felling

Several celebrities, politicians have condemned the felling of the trees in the area. Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi was detained in her protests. Mumbai Congress leader Sanjay Nirupa too had slammed the felling of the trees. As per reports, 1500 trees have been felled since Friday night in spite of widespread protests. Activists have also approached the Supreme Court which will hear their plea on October 7.

(With ANI Inputs)

READ | Aarey Protests: Activists write to CJI to stop ongoing tree-felling