Thackeray Criticizes Move as 22,000-Crore Mega Project Shifts to Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the production facility of the C-295 transport aircraft in Gujarat on Sunday, marking a significant shift from its initial intended location in Maharashtra.

The defense ministry approved a contract with Airbus Support and Space S.A. for the acquisition of 56 C-295 MW transportation aircraft last year on September 24. However, the production site for these aircraft was to be in Nasik, India, as part of a consortium between Airbus and the Tata group.

The previous Maharashtra government, led by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), did not take any action on the project, including no communication with the Union government to promote it in Maharashtra. The MVA government also did not send a single letter to the Centre regarding the project and did not follow up on it with the Union government.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena, the NCP, and the Congress, all constituents of the MVA, have sought to corner the Shinde-BJP government over the plant going to Gujarat. Aaditya Thackeray, a former Maharashtra minister, criticized the Eknath Shinde-led government for not being significant concerning the state's development and for "falling short to shield the state's interests."

Aaditya Thackeray questioned why the new government is unable to bring jobs to Maharashtra and why the project is not being considered for the state. He alleged that the Shinde government has failed to bring jobs to Maharashtra, citing the loss of jobs to Gujarat for projects like Vedanta Foxconn, Bulk Medicine Park, Medical Tool Park, and now Tata Jet.

The Maharashtra BJP chief Keshav Upadhye countered Thackeray's claims stating that the previous MVA government did not do anything to follow up on the recommended project. The BJP maintains that the MVA government's inaction led to the project being moved to Gujarat.

In response, Aaditya Thackeray accused the Shinde government of going to Delhi for personal reasons instead of working for Maharashtra's development. He stated that large and small jobs used to come to Maharashtra due to advantage, but today, despite having the merit, these jobs are going to another state.

The C-295 transport aircraft production facility will now be located in Vadodara, Gujarat, where a consortium of Plane and Tata group will manufacture these aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The project is estimated to be worth 22,000 crore.

The political debate over the move of the C-295 transport aircraft production facility from Maharashtra to Gujarat is expected to continue, as both sides present their arguments and counterarguments.