Mumbai, July 10 Maharashtra Minister Shambhuraj Desai on Thursday announced in the state council that the government will take stern action against builders who deny Marathi people homes in their residential complexes in Mumbai.
His announcement comes amid ongoing agitation launched by the Shiv Sena-UBT, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Marathi Ekikaran Samiti, demanding further development of the Marathi language while strongly opposing the "imposition" of Hindi language from grade one for classes 1 to 5.
The question in this regard was raised by Shiv Sena-UBT legislator Milind Narvekar, who demanded that the government should enact a law taking strong action against builders and developers who deny homes to Marathi people in Mumbai.
Narvekar said that there have been many cases of Marathi people being denied houses in Mumbai on the grounds of language and cannibalism.
He demanded that 50 per cent of houses should be reserved for Marathi people in new buildings in Mumbai.
Minister Desai, in his reply, said that the Housing Department has not received any representation from the Parle Pancham organisation.
"However, as the legislator Milind Narvekar has cited that Marathi people are being denied houses in Mumbai, the action will be taken against the concerned builder," Minister Desai told the state council.
Minister Desai further said, "No one in Mumbai, Mumbai suburbs, and Maharashtra has the right to deny a house to a Marathi person. If a complaint of denial of a house is received, the Mahayuti government will take strict action against the concerned builders and developers. In Maharashtra and Mumbai, the first right belongs to the Marathi person. Mumbai belongs to the Marathi people. The rights of the Marathi person will not be denied in the state. The Mahayuti government will work to protect their rights."
BJP legislator Chitra Wagh raised a question about whether the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government proposed a law for 50 per cent reservation in housing complexes for Marathi people.
Replying to Wagh, Minister Desai said no such law was made during that time, and there was no such demand.
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