Maharashtra refinery project: Cops arrest Barsu leader Amol Bole ahead of Uddhav Thackeray's visit

Mumbai: Police arrested Amol Bole, one of the key leaders of the protest movement against the proposed Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemical Limited project at Ratnagiri's Barsu village on Friday. The arrest comes the very day that prohibitory orders which prevented him and several other protesters from entering the taluka, were being withdrawn.
On Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray is expected to visit Barsu and MNS chief Raj Thackeray will be in Ratnagiri. Bole is president of the Barsu Solgaon Petrochemical Refinery Virodhi Sanghatna.
Over 3,500 villagers from 6 villages defied the police and tried to stop soil testing work on Friday. Villagers formed groups and walked over a kilometre to the drilling site. Locals claimed 25 persons were detained or arrested. Besides Bole, another activist Kamlakar Gurav was arrested. Ratnagiri additional superintendent of police Jayshree Gaikwad said, "The situation is peaceful and drilling work is on. Some people have been arrested."
Meanwhile the villagers have planned a 'do or die' movement from Saturday. A local leader Narendra Joshi said, "The villagers have decided to fight it out irrespective of whatever the consequences may be."
Protesters say it's hypocritical of the government to arrest protesters when it claims it wants to have a dialogue. "If government wants to have a genuine dialogue with the villagers and protesters, it should stop arresting them and also halt the soil testing which is still on," said Nitin Jathar from the Andolan.
"This reveals the double standards of the government and creates mistrust," said Sanjay Parab of Janata Dal who is currently in Ratnagiri.
Protests against the project flared up on April 25th with soil testing for the project underway. As protests continued for the next few days, the police used tear gas and a lathi charge to restrain the locals. More than 400 people were arrested. Protesters say the petrochemical unit will pollute the environment and impact livelihoods linked to agriculture.