The protests in opposition to soil-trying out for a proposed oil refinery at Barsu in Ratnagiri resumed in complete pressure on Friday after a day`s gap. The police used tear fueloline to disperse protesters and additionally detained and later launched Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Vinayak Raut. A general of 211 protestors—167 girls and 34 men—had been arrested and could be produced earlier than a Rajapur courtroom docket tomorrow.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde in the meantime reiterated that his authorities might now no longer impose the venture on Barsu and might take the area people into self assurance. He additionally alleged that some “outsiders” had been concerned withinside the protests.
Locals of Barsu and close by villages attempted to go into the soil-trying out location on Friday, following which the police used pressure and tear fueloline to manipulate the mob and disperse it. Activists from Barsu stated that the police lathi-charged girls protesters in the course of the conflict, an allegation denied through the authorities. The visuals of villagers opposing the soil-trying out and the police looking to save you them went viral on social media.
CM Shinde stated that over 70 percentage of the locals had been for the venture however introduced that it might now no longer be applied with out the consent of villagers. “Some humans from Barsu and close by regions are protesting and a number of them are outsiders,” he stated. “The authorities`s stand could be very clear: we are able to now no longer pressure farmers and there could be no injustice completed to anyone. The venture will offer employment to the humans of the location, and that is why over 70 percentage are in favour of it. Even individuals who are in opposition to it are privy to the advantages of the venture. The management will talk with anybody approximately the venture and could attempt to persuade them.” Shinde additionally entreated humans now no longer to politicise the issue.
Reports of a lathi-rate at Barsu kicked up a political controversy again. Maharashtra Congress leader Nana Patole warned the authorities that if it attempted to pursue the venture through assaulting locals and submitting fake instances in opposition to them, the Congress might give “a befitting reply”. “The Shinde authorities has deployed a big quantity of police forces in opposition to the villagers,” he stated. “It must now no longer take a selection at the refinery venture with out taking the locals into self assurance however it’s far appearing in a dictatorial manner. We will now no longer tolerate this.”
NCP MP Supriya Sule additionally criticised the authorities and entreated the authorities to talk about the venture with locals in preference to the use of police pressure. Thackeray faction MP Vinayak Raut, who become detained while he become becoming a member of the protests, knowledgeable anybody approximately this via a tweet. However, Ratnagiri SP Dhananjay Kulkarni informed HT that MP Raut become launched later.
Shinde denied the reviews of a lathi-rate on girls protesters and alleged that except locals, some “outsiders” had been concerned withinside the protests. “I spoke to the Ratnagiri collector and superintendent of police in addition to district dad or mum minister Uday Samant,” he stated. “The collector informed me that there has been no lathi-rate on the site.”
