Maharashtra minister compares soldier sacrifice with tree cutting for progress, faces flak

Mumbai: Maharashtra Environment Minister Pankaja Munde has drawn a parallel between the sacrifice of soldiers at the border and the cutting of trees, including mangroves, for development, triggering sharp reactions on social media.

Activist Anjali Damania posted the viral clip on social media platform X on Saturday, saying she felt sorry for the minister's "intelligence" over the comparison.

Defending the rationale behind felling trees for development during an interaction at Mumbai Climate Week, Munde said, "The way a mother brings up her son and then has the audacity or guts to send him to the border to fight for the country, similarly, if we grow trees, we may have to cut them, but we can plant them somewhere else.

"You cannot say no to progress because we have to preserve trees. If we have to cut five trees for progress, we can grow 10 more trees. That is the only way," she added.

Munde said trees, like soldiers, protect people while they are alive and even when removed, contribute to development.

"Think of those trees as soldiers. Till the time they are living, they are protecting us, and if they are taken off, they are still working for development," the BJP leader added.

The remarks come amid ongoing debates over mangrove cutting and urban infrastructure projects in Mumbai.

"While people discuss climate issues in comfort, soldiers stand in snow and deserts risking their lives for the country. We are sitting here in a five-star hotel talking about Mumbai Climate Week, having tea, coffee and cookies, but somebody is standing in the snow and the desert, playing with their lives for us.

"They are sacrificing, so how are we thankful to them? That way, I treat those trees. These are my personal opinions," the minister added.