The BJP is facing a lot of criticism over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which has come into force this month and is being challenged in courts?
I travel across Maharashtra. After the Waqf (Amendment) Act came into force, there has been a tremendous response. There are positive responses not only from the Hindus but also from the Muslim community. We wanted the new Waqf Act to come into force and that has happened. We could not have allowed the process of Islamisation of India to continue.
How does Maharashtra benefit?
We all know Waqf Boards across India are the third biggest land owner after Railway and Defence. Maharashtra has 92,000 acres of land as Waqf properties. Many of the Waqf properties were actually encroached. The encroached land would be taken back, only the encroached land.
You have forcefully raised the demand of razing the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Khuldabad.
The RSS has already spoken about the issue. Once the RSS has spoken, it is improper for me to speak about it.
Over the past few years, we have seen cases of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas staying in the Mumbai metropolitan region. You have been speaking about it?
We will flush them out. Let's be very clear about that. Under Fadnavis ji, the Home department is working on the issue with greater depth. We will ensure that Mumbai is free of Bangladeshis. The police and administrative machinery is working on it.
The civic polls are approaching. All the big cities would go to polls and this includes Mumbai. For the BJP, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation is important as in the past it was being controlled by the undivided Shiv Sena. How do you see the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT)?
The Shiv Sena (UBT) is in a complete mess. There is tremendous unrest against Aaditya Thackeray. He has let go the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray. The mandate of the Vidhan Sabha polls are very clear. The party has no future.
As the state Fisheries and Ports Minister, you are literally spending the midnight oil.
Yes. The financial capital of Mumbai and the larger Mumbai metropolitan region needs rapid development, which takes into account issues like climate change. We are introducing Water Metro services in MMR on the lines of Mumbai Metro. We have seen that the Mumbai Metro has brought in a sea change in water transport. The Water Metro services on the lines of Kochi Water Metro will surely come as a big help for a common Mumbai commuter. Besides, he or she will have an additional mode of transport. A DPR is being made for the same. However, the Water Metro services for the MMR.
Are you also looking at some of the latest technologies aboard?
We are excited about the possibility of Candela electric vessels. These environment-friendly electric boats will operate ferry services from the Gateway of India to Alibaug and Gateway of India to Elephanta Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first two vessels, with a capacity of 30 passengers each, will arrive in August. Next year we will scale up the services. We are working with Sweden on this.