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By Mustafa Shaikh: Tensions have been running high over the past few days over the land survey for a refinery in Maharashtra’s Barsu. The state government tried to corner Uddhav Thackeray on the issue, asking why he was opposed to it now when he had proposed this project as chief minister.
Uddhav Thackeray addressed the issue at a meeting of the Kamgar Sena in Mumbai today. “It is true that I wrote the letter to bring the project to Barsu. Why didn’t the Centre execute the project for two years? I didn’t ask anyone to forcefully vacate their land. If a refinery is for the public good, why force it on them? If they follow what I say, why did they betray and form a government?”
He targeted the state government on reports of force being used on locals who opposed the land survey. The police have detained and arrested several people. Thackeray attacked the Shinde-Fadnavis government over this and asked if the project was good, then why discussions weren’t happening between the government and the locals.
Also Read | Government must discuss with locals: Sharad Pawar on Barsu refinery protests
“Your government claims it is bringing good projects in Maharashtra. Then why are women being detained with the help of the police? Why are people being arrested? And is this project good for you? Why do you say that? When we talked about this, they said that this comes in the way of development. If so, why didn’t they bring projects like Vedanta Foxconn or Tata Airbus here? Why did they send away the good projects that could have come here?” Thackeray asked.
“Is the refinery a green refinery? If the chief minister and the deputy chief minister have performed puja, they should go to the public,” Thackeray said.
Targeting Eknath Shinde, the former chief minister said, as the conflict in Barsu escalated, the chief minister went to his farm. “He sits and watches how many strawberries grow on his farm.”
Clearing his role in the project, Thackeray said, “My role towards Barsu was that of a local. If the project is in the interest of the locals, why force it on them? We do not want projects that harm the environment.”
Also Read | Politics over refinery in Maharashtra’s Barsu as locals oppose land survey
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