Uddhav Thackeray slams CM over oil refinery

Mumbai: A day after the Union government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between state-owned IOCL, BPCL and HPCL, and Saudi Aramco to jointly develop and build an integrated refinery and petrochemical complex Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL), Shiv Sena’s chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday clarified that the party will not let the project start.

Mr. Thackeray called Mr. Fadnavis a renegade, and said, “Chief Minister had assured that the disastrous project like the oil refinery will not be forced on Konkan. He had said that if the locals opposed the project, the government will not bring it in Konkan. Despite his word an MoU has been signed in Delhi and this is nothing but the betrayal and proves that CM’s word has no value in Delhi,” said Mr. Thackeray in press statement issued on Thursday.

“Shiv Sena will not let the project take place in Nanar at a time when locals are opposing it,” said Mr. Thackeray. Launching a clear attack on Mr. Fadnavis, the BJP ally said that even though the CM has gone renegade (fitoor), the Sena will ensure that the project does not come up in Nanar.

The Shiv Sena shares power with BJP in the State as well as at the centre and it’s senior leader Subhash Desai is the state’s Industries minister. Sena’s stand to the project comes after protests by local villagers opposing the project.

On Thursday, a public meeting was held in Mumbai at Shirodkar school, Parel, against the decision to sign an MoU . The meeting was addressed by members of Committee for Opposing Destructive Projects in Konkan.

Ashok Walam one of the main leaders of the committee. said the government has ‘backstabbed’ the people of Konkan by signing the MoU. “We held a meeting with CM on this issue, where he had assured that no project will come up if the locals are against it. By signing the MoU, the government is taking a step forward. We will not let this happen,” said Mr. Walam.