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Thackerays back with 'son of soil' agenda
The Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have both demanded reservations for Marathis in the allotment of cheap flats being sold as part of a state government housing scheme.
- IANS
- Published: 23:42 January 13, 2009
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have both demanded reservations for Marathis in the allotment of cheap flats being sold as part of a state government housing scheme.
While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has demanded that 80 per cent of the flats be allotted to Marathis, his estranged cousin, MNS chief Raj Thackeray, has gone a step further and demanded 100 per cent reservations for locals.
Uddhav told reporters here on Monday evening that "sons of the soil" must get preference in the allotment of houses - views that were echoed by an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamna.
At a function in Mumbai, Raj Thackeray demanded that all dwelling units available under the latest MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) scheme be allotted to Marathi-speaking people.
The two leaders made their demands after massive crowds of hopefuls queued up to purchase application forms for new housing schemes launched by the MHADA on Monday.
On the first day, MHADA sold 88,222 application forms, netting Rs8.82 million (Dh659,180). The flats are to be allotted through a draw of lots among the applicants.
The queues only got longer yesterday.
In Goregaon, the queue was nearly three kilometres long, with about 10,000 people patiently awaiting their turn.
Not surprisingly, the two Thackeray cousins' demand for quotas received a positive response from Marathi-speaking people, especially those belonging to the economically weaker sections.
"Though the MHADA rule says that only those who don't own a house in Mumbai can apply, it seems unlikely that all these people in the queues qualify. However, there are millions of Marathis like me who have no place of our own. These applicants spoil our chances of getting an allotment," said Priya Uke.
A MHADA spokesman said the agency expects to sell nearly a million forms by January 30.
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