Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister and senior BJP leader Ashish Shelar has launched a sharp attack on the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress for opposing the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), accusing them of adopting a double standard driven by political interests rather than public welfare.
In a strong statement issued on Saturday, Shelar said the opposition’s criticism of the project directly contradicts its own long-standing claims about the lack of affordable housing in Mumbai and the displacement of original city residents. “The same people say there are no affordable houses in Mumbai. They also say the original Mumbaikar is being pushed out of the city. And yet they oppose redevelopment. Do they think people don’t understand this hypocrisy?” he asked.
Shelar asserted that the Dharavi Redevelopment Project is designed to protect the interests of local residents, including the Marathi-speaking population, and ensure that eligible families are rehabilitated within Dharavi itself or elsewhere in Mumbai. He dismissed claims that residents would be forced to move to distant suburbs, stating that in-city housing and rental options are part of the plan.
“The Marathi manoos staying in Dharavi will get a house in Dharavi itself or within Mumbai,” Shelar said, adding that Dharavi’s present condition is the result of decades of neglect and misgovernance under previous Congress-led administrations.
Highlighting the scale of the project, the minister said the redevelopment aims to convert Asia’s largest slum into a modern, well-planned urban zone. The project includes affordable homes, commercial and non-residential spaces, facilities for small businesses, open areas, schools, parks, upgraded roads, and a multimodal transport hub.
Shelar argued that opposing the redevelopment amounts to opposing progress itself. According to him, resistance to the project is effectively resistance to better housing, employment generation, improved infrastructure, and open spaces in Mumbai.
“Opposing Dharavi redevelopment means opposing the redevelopment of the Marathi manoos. It also means opposing cheaper homes, jobs, and a better quality of life for Mumbai,” he said.
