Uddhav Thackeray’s MLA has surprised everyone by supporting the proposed refinery in Barsu. Shiv Sena’s (UBT) Rajapur MLA Rajan Salvi supported the proposed refinery. While Sanjay Raut and Aditya Thackeray supported the protesters and called for stopping the project. On the contrary, Salvi said that he is in favor of it due to unemployment in the area. Salvi said the administration should win the hearts of those opposing the project. At present, after this statement of Salvi in the Uddhav faction, discussions of differences have started coming to the fore in the party itself. Regarding which the opposition has also got a chance to make statements.
Salvi said, “If the refinery project comes up in Konkan, employment will be available to the local people. Officials say that most of the youth from Konkan have settled in Mumbai for jobs. So if this project comes up in Konkan, they will not have to go to the city in search of jobs. That’s why I support the project on this issue.”
The local people are opposing the project to be built on the site of Barsu village. The villagers say that due to this the environment will be polluted, and the fields and fruit gardens will be ruined. On the other hand, fish farmers say that the water of the rivers will be contaminated, due to the water coming out of the refinery, due to which our business will be affected badly. The Shinde government is fully engaged in this project. Which the Uddhav camp is opposing.
Because of Salvi’s appeal of support for the refinery like this, speculation about differences in the party rose. Industries Minister Uday Samant had said that it was former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who gave the green signal to shift the refinery from Nanar in Ratnagiri to Barsu. At the same time, Thackeray has not commented on this issue so far. Uddhav’s MLA Salvi is under investigation in the disproportionate assets case. Last month, his wife, elder brother, and sister-in-law were summoned for questioning by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) after issuing notices. It is also speculated that Salvi did not make such a statement under some pressure.