Mumbai: Industries minister Subhash Desai’s announcement on the cancellation of notification for acquiring land for the Nanar oil refinery comes a day after the party received clear signal from the locals that they were unhappy with the Shiv Sena for failing to stop the project despite being in power. They had also threatened to boycott today’s rally by party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
However, the quick rejoinder by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sends out a clear signal that the BJP will not take Sena’s tantrums and aggressive postures lightly. This once again raises questions over the alliance between the two parties, which have been targetting each other on a variety of issues.
“They (BJP) are trying to scare us by saying the project will go to Gujarat. You want to take it to Gujarat? Do it. We will not allow you to destroy Konkan in the name of development. Konkan will not be allowed to become Gujarat,” Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at a public rally in Nanar, moments after the Mr. Desai’s announcement.
“Even before the project was announced, how did Gujaratis or Marwaris and others buy land here? From where did farmers like Shah, Modi or Katiyar come here? This is nothing but a scam and corruption in land allotment,” he said. Attacking Mr Fadnavis, the Sena chief said, “Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has made a deal with Saudi Arabia and threw CM’s assurance into the dustbin. Mr. Fadnavis’ word is not worth a dime in Delhi. Shift it to Vidarbha or take it to Gujarat, we are not bothered.”
BJP sources said they will not succumb to pressure. “We will remain politically firm and it is up to Sena to decide whether they want to follow us or not,” a senior BJP minister said.
The opposition Congress and NCP dismissed it as a publicity stunt, and an attempt to broker a ‘deal’. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said, “No project gets cancelled in this manner. The cabinet needs to approve it.”
Locals who are opposing the project too said the Sena must raise the issue in the cabinet. “We expect the Sena to give a proposal for the same. While Sena has taken a step forward, we want the CM to come forward and call for a meeting to cancel the notification,” said Ashok Walam, president, Konkan Refinery Virodhi Sangharsh Sanghatana.
