Kohinoor Mill: a political–real-estate empire built on the graveyard of Marathi workers!

Kohinoor Mill was not merely an industrial unit. It stood as living testimony to the labour, identity, and generational toil of thousands of Marathi workers. Mumbai itself was built on the sweat of these workers. Yet when the mill shut down, it was these very workers who were the first—and completely—forgotten. What followed cannot honestly be called “redevelopment.” To do so would be a distortion of language—it was, in reality, a land deal erected by swallowing the rightful claims of workers. The Mill Shut Down—Was the Law Shut Down Too? Indian labour laws are unequivocal. When a mill is closed, workers are legally entitled to receive: • Closure compensation • Gratuity • Provident Fund (PF) • Pending wages and bonuses —fully and in a timely manner. However, in the case of Kohinoor Mill, the reality was stark: • A consolidated, one-time settlement was never carried out. • Workers were forced to spend years moving between labour courts and government offices. • Countless Marathi workers passed away without ever receiving their statutory dues. This was not merely administrative failure—it was a deliberate policy of neglect. Workers’ Dues Were Frozen, While Deals Moved at Full Speed This is the most fundamental question. While workers were struggling for their rightful dues, simultaneously: • Transactions involving Kohinoor Mill’s prime land were progressing. • Companies were being formed and partnerships finalised. • Ultimately, a commercial project worth thousands of crores rose on that very land. Was it merely a coincidence that: • Workers’ dues were labelled “disputed,” • while politically connected investors remained fully protected? Raj Thackeray and the Kohinoor Deal: Questions That Refuse to Fade According to credible media reports: • Companies or partners linked to Raj Thackeray were involved in the purchase of Kohinoor Mill land and in the initial corporate structure. • The stake was later sold, yielding substantial financial gains. • This led investigative agencies to summon individuals for questioning. The issue here is not a judicial verdict. The issue is this— In a transaction where Marathi workers were fighting for survival, how did politically influential individuals manage to exit at the right time, secure their profits, and walk away? Shiv Sena (UBT), the Manohar Joshi Family, and the Shield of Power In the Kohinoor Mill case: • The sons of senior Shiv Sena leader and former Chief Minister Manohar Joshi were named in the media as promoters or partners. • Reports also stated that investigative agencies summoned them for questioning. The questions that arise are inevitable: • When Shiv Sena held power and influence, why were Marathi workers’ pending dues not prioritised? • Why were strict worker-protection conditions not imposed on redevelopment? A party that for decades raised the slogan of the “Marathi Manoos” somehow presided over the period when Marathi industrial workers became the most vulnerable. MHADA Housing: An Illusion, a Shield It was repeatedly argued that— “Workers were given homes.” This is a half-truth—and a half-truth is the most dangerous lie. The reality is: • Not all workers received housing. • Those who did were allotted homes in distant locations and after severe delays. • Most importantly— housing is not a substitute for wages, gratuity, and provident fund. This argument was not used to deliver justice to workers, but to silence them. How the Marathi Worker Was Defeated At Kohinoor Mill, the Marathi worker was defeated on three levels: Economic — dues were never paid. Legal — justice delayed, which is justice denied. Political — those expected to protect workers became partners in deals. This is not merely the story of a single mill; it is the story of how political proximity was used to gain power— and how power was then used to forget workers. Conclusion: This Was Not Development—It Was Displacement The so-called “redevelopment” of Kohinoor Mill: • Did not bring justice to Marathi workers. • Instead, it erected a political–real estate empire on land earned through their labour. This article does not declare anyone legally guilty. It is a moral indictment. When land built by the sweat of Marathi workers is transformed into property worth billions, and those same workers wander door to door seeking their rightful dues— the questions must be directed at those in power. At Kohinoor Mill, politics won. The Marathi worker lost. BMC is not a family business #notafamilybusiness