VALPOI: Hours after health minister and Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane released a video message telling Melauli locals that the IIT project stands scrapped in Sattari, the villagers said they refuse to believe Rane until an official document is handed to them in writing by the government. The locals said till the time such a document comes, their agitation will continue.
Villagers said that Rane is playing with their emotions and said that his statements on withdrawing the IIT project from Sattari come only after villagers have intensified their protests.
He is scared for his political career as residents of several villages from Sattari are now backing Melauli villagers in their opposition to the IIT project, said locals.
“Rane has harassed the villagers a lot for the last nine months and now he is acting like a saint,” said Shubham Shivolkar, co-convener of Melauli Panchkroshi Gram Bachav Andolan.
Shivolkar said that Rane is misusing his power and has filed a complaint against a villager, Sidhu Gaonkar from Melauli, who belongs to ST community, stating that the villager has illegally encroached on property. Shivolkar said it was Rane himself who had requested the government officials to initiate action against Gaonkar.
“Where was Rane when we were suffering? And now suddenly he is saying that we are his brothers and sisters,” said Shivolkar.
Shivolkar said they want the government to withdraw all the FIRs filed against the protesters. The villagers demanded that the properties they are occupying should be transferred in the name of villagers.
“Rane has attacked us, got us arrested with the help of government machinery, which will never be forgotten. We don’t believe Rane’s video, till the IIT is officially scrapped we will continue our protest. We demand an official document saying that the IIT is scrapped,” Shivolkar said.
Villagers also demanded that government servants from Melauli who were transferred by Rane for participating in the protest should be reposted to their earlier workplace.
Shivolkar produced the copy of a letter dated August 27, 2019, addressed to chief secretary of Goa by Rane, where the minister told the chief secretary to grant 13 lakh sq m of revenue land to the IIT, when only 9 lakh area was finalised for the project. “This is proof that Rane wanted to acquire all our properties and now he is changing his colours, we don’t trust this person,” Shivolkar said.