MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena-BJP tussle over the proposed Rs 3-trillion refinery at Nanar in
Ratnagiri district blew up into a high-voltage war of claims and counter-claims on Monday, with Uddhav
Thackeray announcing that the project had been scrapped.
The Sena president’s announcement came at a rally in Nanar on Monday, after senior Sena leader
Subhash Desai said there that in his capacity as the state industries minister, he had withdrawn the land acquisition notices given to villagers.
Soon after, chief minister Devendra
Fadnavis said no minister has the authority to cancel the notification for the refinery, which, when finished, would be one of the largest in the world. “The power to cancel the notification is with the high-powered committee which comes under the chief secretary, and not the minister. The notification has not been cancelled,” he said on the sidelines of an event in Mumbai. He further snubbed the Sena, calling Desai’s statement his personal opinion, not of the state government.
The Sena refused to back down, fielding leader Anil Parab at a press conference on Monday evening to make it clear that the party will not allow the project in Konkan at any cost and will take the legal route to get the notification cancelled.
About the notification issued by the MIDC—which falls under the industries department—allowing the process of land acquisition to start, Parab said: “If the industries minister can have the power of issuing the notification, he must have the power to withdraw it. There may be a high-powered committee headed by the chief secretary, but the minister is supreme.”
Fadnavis signalled the BJP’s firm resolve on the mega project, saying: “Whatever decision on this, which is in the interests of the state and Konkan, can only be taken by the HPC after proper discussions at the appropriate time.”
Addressing the rally at Nanar, the Sena president said: “Those talking of ‘achche din’ have been playing the villain by trying to thrust the project on Nanar villagers. We will not allow the project to come up in the coastal village,” he said.
Attacking Fadnavis, Thackeray accused him of reneging on his promises that the project would not be imposed if the local population was opposed to it. “But Union petroleum minister
Dharmendra Pradhan has made a deal with Saudi Arabia, and chucked the CM’s assurance into the dustbin. Fadnavis’ word is not worth a dime in Delhi. Shift it to Vidarbha or take it to Gujarat, we are not bothered,” he said, hinting that protests in future may not stay peaceful and exhorting villagers to stop land survey officials even if they have to “lie on the roads”.
Echoing Uddhav’s words in Nanar, Parab said in Mumbai: “Modi, Shah, Kataria have bought land in Konkan. Are they farmers or local people of Konkan? They are land grabbers and agents. Shiv Sena is with the people of Konkan and won’t allow the project to go ahead at any cost. Now, CM Fadnavis should make his stand public on whether he is with the locals or land grabber/agents.”
A sizeable section of villagers opposed to the project on ecological issue stayed away from his rally, it is learnt. They wanted a categorical assurance in writing from Thackeray that the Sena would steadfastly adhere to its stand opposing the project.
