Development and environment walk hand in hand: Aaditya Thackeray

When we are talking about development, we are including everyone in it, and when we are talking about sustainability, we are again doing it ourselves. If we as a human society don’t exist then the talks about development is nothing. If we talk about sustainable development, then I think our nation can go ahead, said Aaditya Thackeray, Maharashtra's Minister for Tourism, Environment & Protocol.

Thackeray was speaking at ABP Network’s inaugural Ideas of India summit to delve on the topic of India 2047: Vision of a Young Politician. The summit has brought together the brightest brains from diverse sectors to discuss India's 75-year journey, its present status, and the way ahead. ABP Network is the leading multi-language news channel reaching 535 million individuals in India. 

Speaking at the keynote conversation on the topic – India 2047: Vision of a young politician, Thackeray spoke on challenges to cooperative federalism between centre and states. Referring to the use of central agencies, Mr. Thackeray said "As I have said earlier if you see a pattern, in whichever states the elections are coming in, central agencies are being used as a tool to launch the election campaign. Post central agencies, the mud-slinging against certain parties begins."

Thackeray also spoke on the issue of Kashmiri Pandits and the demands to make the movie ‘Kashmir Files,’ tax free in Maharashtra. He commented, "In the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, only one man was standing with the entire community and we are still there with them. On the other hand, the issue of making the film tax free in Maharashtra is only relevant when people are not watching the film. But, on the ground, a lot of people are going to cinema halls and watching the film."