Uddhav: Won’t let anyone ‘forcibly’ take biz away from Maha

MUMBAI: Hours before Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s reached Mumbai to meet film industry stalwarts and other business leaders on Tuesday, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said he won’t allow anybody to ‘forcibly’ take business away from Maharashtra and Mumbai.

Speaking at an event by IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Thackeray said Maharashtra was not scared of competition with other states but it should be fair.

Adityanath reached Mumbai on Tuesday night and met actor Akshay Kumar. On Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogiu Adityanath is expected to meet other people associated with the film industry and business leaders in the financial capital.

“Some people are coming today, they will also meet you all and ask you to come (there and invest). But they do not know the magnetic strength (of Maharashtra), it is so powerful that forget people going from here to there, it may so happen that somebody from there comes here,” Thackeray said while referring to Adityanath indirectly.

Thackeray said their relationship with the Chamber has been through generations and they have collectively thought about the industrial progress and development of Mumbai and Maharashtra.

He said, “Today we have the power to fulfill dreams for Mumbai and Maharashtra. Our relations are through generations and will not be broken.”

“We are not jealous if someone progresses, we do not have any problem with someone’s progress if one competes. But if you are going to forcibly take anything away, then of course, I won’t let it happen and I think even you (industrialists) will not be willing to go,” he added.

He further urged the Chamber to become the brand ambassador of the state to attract investment into Maharashtra. He also promised complete support from his government.

Thackeray added that Maharashtra has signed investment tie-ups worth Rs 50,000 crore during the pandemic and will go on to fetch over Rs 1 lakh crore investment in the state. He said that unlike demonetisation when the money “disappeared”, the industrial activities will resume once again.