Mumbai, Jan 9 (NationPress) In a shocking disclosure during the second part of the joint interview in ‘Saamana’ with Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday accused a well-orchestrated “strategic plot” aimed at divesting Mumbai of its wealth and territory.

He cautioned that the danger to Mumbai’s independence is now more pronounced than it was during the Samyukta Maharashtra movement of the 1950s.

Raj Thackeray observed a considerable change in the motivations of those opposed to Mumbai’s interests. Whereas previous disputes primarily revolved around the city's wealth, he asserted that the current goal is to physically detach segments of the city.

“In the past, a few non-Marathi affluent elites wanted Mumbai to be ceded to Gujarat. Today, those five individuals have multiplied to five hundred,” he remarked. He stressed that the collaboration between the Central and state governments on various projects indicates a level of threat never encountered before.

Questioning the rationale behind infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Raj Thackeray inquired why airports are being proposed close to the Vadhavan Port near the Gujarat border. He implied these initiatives are not merely developmental but rather “strategic maneuvers” to link Maharashtra’s economic centers more closely with Gujarat while eroding Mumbai’s essence.

Raj Thackeray alleged that the development of the Navi Mumbai International Airport and the Vadhavan Port forms part of a broader agenda to clear out prime land in Mumbai’s heart. He accused the government of initiating the relocation of cargo operations from Mumbai’s rightful airport to Navi Mumbai. He predicted that ultimately, all domestic and international operations would be shifted away.

“The current Mumbai airport area is so extensive that it could encompass at least 50 Shivaji Parks. The plan is to relocate all flights to Navi Mumbai and subsequently auction this vast expanse of Mumbai's land,” he asserted.

“The equation is evident: they desire the wealth of Mumbai to flow towards a select group and eventually to Gujarat, while the physical land of the city is disassembled for real estate exploitation,” he contended.

Thackeray characterized this initiative not as urban development, but as a “strategic dismantling” of Mumbai’s assets. He proposed that by relocating the city’s core infrastructure, the government is facilitating a path for a specific class of developers and business interests to seize Mumbai’s most valuable real estate.