Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray opposed Mumbai-Nagpur expressway project: Devendra Fadnavis

Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP SCP president Sharad Pawar tried to create hurdles in the land acquisition process for the MumbaiNagpur expressway but farmers backed the project wholeheartedly Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday reported news agency PTIParticipating in an interactive session at the Sushasan Mahotsav organised by Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini Fadnavis said Thackeray had addressed public meetings in villages where land was to be acquired for the MumbaiNagpur expressway project reported PTIUddhav Thackeray went to a village addressed a public meeting and told villagers that their land will be snatched and asked them not to give land for the MumbaiNagpur expressway project said Fadnavis who was then the chief minister of Maharashtra reported PTIHe said former Union minister Pawar also addressed meetings in Sambhajinagar against the projectHe said the government offered the villagers rates that were four times the value of the land to be acquired for the projectWe also said that the villagers will get five times the value of the land if they handed over their land to the government through consent orders he said reported PTIFadnavis said land acquisition in the village where Thackeray had addressed a public meeting was completed within a single day reported PTIWe acquired the land for the project through consent orders in a single day We did the registrations and also made payments to their bank accounts he saidFadnavis said that Eknath Shinde who was the PWD Minister then went to the village and signed the registration papers reported PTIFadnavis said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi he was able to complete infrastructure projects such as the Atal SetuMumbai Trans Harbour Link and the Navi Mumbai greenfield airport which were pending for several decades reported PTIMeanwhile Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis was on Friday slammed by the opposition in Maharashtra for his apparent off the cuff remarks over the killing of former Shiv Sena UBT corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar during a Facebook Live event reported PTIReplying to a query during a media interaction Fadnavis who is also the state deputy chief minister termed the oppositions charges as politically motivated reported PTIThis Ghosalkars killing is a serious incident but even if a dog were to come under a vehicle they opposition will seek the home ministers resignation Fadnavis said reported PTIState Congress president Nana Patole said the remarks by Fadnavis a senior BJP leader were irresponsibleIf this is the reaction of Fadnavis then it is unfortunate Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad said The law and order situation in the state is in a shambles and Fadnavis should resign owing moral responsibility the former minister addedGhosalkar was shot dead in Mumbai on Thursday evening during a Facebook Live by Mauris Noronha a local social activist who also ended his own lifeWith inputs from PTI