AAP nominates Aarey activist

Mumbai: Amid the ongoing Aarey protest, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded Vitthal Govind Lad - a tribal rights’ activist wor-king towards securing tribal lands in Aarey - from the Jogeshwari constituency for the Asse-mbly polls next month.

While claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state and at the Centre has failed to save Aarey Colony, AAP members said that they will take this issue to Parliament in favour of declaring Aarey a “forest”.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh will visit Aarey Colony Wednesday. Mr Lad said, “We will apprise Mr Singh of Aarey’s greenery. He will also meet the Aarey tribals who have been raising their voice against introducing the metro car shed there.” Mr Singh will launch the party’s campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections.

In a rather direct announcement, Mr Lad said that the entire Aarey Colony will be declared a forest if the AAP comes to power.

“It is a forest; it is just that the state and Centre have failed to declare it a forest. The car shed will affect the wildlife and movement of leopards there. We will declare Aarey a forest to prevent any commercial or infrastructure development there,” he said.

Mr Lad said that apart from urban development, his focus is also on the upliftment of tribals in areas surrounding the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. AAP has been campaigning against the introduction of the metro 3 car shed at Aarey, also called the city’s green lung. AAP member Preeti Sharma Menon has been targeting the BJP and Shiv Sena on social media for their inability to save Aarey.

Ms Sharma’s latest tweet says, “#HowDareYou @Dev_Fadnavis #HowDareYou #SaveAareyForest" in a reference to a recent viral speech made by 15-year-old global activist, Greta Thunberg, where she blamed UN leaders for not taking care of the environment.”