Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the BJP is a party that believes in Lord Ram and, therefore, will take special care to preserve the Tapovan area and keep it permanently open to the public. He assured that no commercial project would be allowed at the site. Addressing a public gathering on the banks of the Godavari River in Nashik on Sunday, in the backdrop of the Nashik Municipal Corporation elections, Fadnavis promised that ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh, the Godavari’s water would be cleaned so thoroughly that it would be suitable not only for bathing but also for drinking. Several senior ministers and legislators were present at the event.
Responding to the controversy surrounding tree cutting in Tapovan for the Sadhugram project, Fadnavis dismissed the allegations by presenting Google images and official documents. He countered criticism by MNS president Raj Thackeray by revealing records showing that when the MNS was in power in the Nashik civic body in 2016, a resolution was passed to allow the Tapovan land to be used for exhibitions for 11 years. He questioned the credibility of those raising objections now and stressed that the issue was being misrepresented for political gains ahead of the local body elections.
The Chief Minister also took a dig at Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray, stating that during the COVID-19 period, he toured the state while others stayed at home despite being in power. He remarked that people who lack coordination are ineffective. Criticising left-leaning groups, he alleged that attempts were made to malign the Kumbh Mela by spreading false narratives, including claims that Mughal ruler Akbar started it. Fadnavis asserted that the Kumbh tradition predates Akbar by several generations and said that no criticism would be able to stop the Kumbh from taking place.