Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, pleaded for peace in the region on Friday and said that the planned refinery project in Barsu village in Ratnagiri district will not be carried out without the approval of the locals. In order to disperse the refinery protestors earlier in the day, police in Rajapur tehsil deployed tear gas in the villages of Barsu and Solgaon, where they also arrested Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut. “The Barsu location had been proposed to the Union government by a previous chief minister himself. He is against the proposal now that he has lost his position as CM. One cannot have such hypocrisy, Shinde told reporters in Mumbai, likely alluding to Uddhav Thackeray, the head of the Shiv Sena (UBT), whose organisation is now supporting the group of locals opposed to the refinery.
“We are a government of the people, and we do not oppose them. Without the approval of the local people, we would not go further, the chief minister said. Additionally, Shinde asserted that more than 70% of locals support the project because it will create jobs. He said that there shouldn’t be any politics involved in the matter and promised to convince the remaining 30% of those who are against the project of its advantages. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut was held by police in Barsu village after he joined the demonstrators in the late afternoon. According to authorities, he was freed in the evening. In addition, 167 demonstrators were detained. On Saturday, they will be presented in court in Rajapur, according to the police.
The demonstrators in Barsu-Solgaon, who have been demonstrating for the last four days, were ordered to go home by the police. However, as they stood their ground, the police officers began removing them, an official said. The official said that police also used tear gas to clear the area of demonstrators. There were 120 officers, 1,000 police constables, and two companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) stationed at the protest location. Ajit Pawar, the head of the NCP, said the government should approach the situation delicately and in trust with the people. According to Pawar, Industries Minister Uday Samant assured him that not a single home or hamlet will be uprooted as a result of the project.
Sharad Pawar, the leader of the NCP, had a conversation with Chief Minister Shinde about the matter and had provided him with some ideas, he said. Regarding Uddhav Thackeray’s alleged U-turn, Ajit Pawar stated that although the politician had recommended the Barsu site in a letter to the Centre, he has since taken the position that his party will support the locals. The NCP leader said, “The protest against any project is justified if the project is harmful to the area or if there is any danger to future generations, but if the project is beneficial and brings financial prosperity, it should be seen from that angle as well.”
