Govt industry policy anti-Maharashtra, investor summit given a miss: Aaditya

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday alleged that the Eknath Shinde-led government's industry policy was "anti-Maharashtra" and maintained that after assuming office in 2022, it has shied away from organising an investor summit that was started several years ago.

In a post on X, Thackeray also attacked Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and alleged that the Mumbai North Lok Sabha MP did not promote Maharashtra enough at the Global Fintech Festival held in the metropolis last month, the way he did for GIFT City in adjoining Gujarat.

He claimed that the Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP government was "crushing" the pride and spirit of Maharashtra, an industrial and financial powerhouse.

"Interesting facets of the anti-Maharashtra bjp/ mindhe regime's industry policy in our state. They haven't held "Magnetic Maharashtra" (investor summit) since they formed their illegal regime," the former state minister remarked.

The opposition MLA said when the state government was scheduled to host 'Magnetic Maharashtra', it cancelled the event owing to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, a biennial investor conclave held in the neighbouring state ruled by the BJP.

"That's not the issue. The issue is, why did we not have one? Tamil Nadu, too, organised one at the same time and pulled in good investment," he said.

Thackeray claimed that besides pushing away big industries from the state to their "favourite" state (a reference to Gujarat), the recent "raid" on Mercedes Benz (unit in Pune) by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had created major trouble in the industrial world.

"Why push away industries only because the ego of the MPCB chairman hasn't been satisfied? Is there a precedent for the same? Will companies/ industries of international and local origin be ok with such bullying tactics by the corrupt regime? What about those who don't have a voice?" the former state environment minister asked.

MPCB is headed by Siddhesh Kadam, son of Ramdas Kadam, a senior leader of the ruling Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) led by chief minister Eknath Shinde.