Mumbai, April 14: Days after Indian oil companies signed an agreement with Saudi Aramco for setting up the world's largest refinery complex at Nanar in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri, locals on Saturday started drummed up support from different political parties in a bid to stop the project.
The Konkan Refinery Shetkari-Machhimar Sangharsh Samiti (KRSMSS) and the Refinery Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti (RVSS) have met political leaders across the political spectrum to solicit support for the agitation against the project.
KRSMSS chief Bhai Samant and RVSS head Ashok Welam have called on Congress state President Ashok Chavan, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray, besides meeting other leaders.
The anti-Nanar groups got a major boost two days ago when Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Swabhiman Party President Narayan Rane - both constituents of the ruling NDA - openly attacked the project.
They also accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of "treachery" and "going back on his word" as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party kept mum on the issue.
Both Thackeray and Rane have made it clear that they would not permit the destructive project to come up under any circumstances, since the local people are against it.
On his part, Pawar has announced plans to visit Nanar on May 10, meet the villagers who will be affected, assess the ground realities and the implications of the proposed mega-project on the people and environment.
"The local people have given a very different picture than what the state government has claimed," Pawar told media persons on Saturday.
Endorsing the villagers struggle, Chavan said: "Development should have a humane face. If the locals are opposing it, there is no question of implementing it."
The protestors also secured the support of Raj Thackeray who gave them a sympathetic ear and promised to intervene.
Meanwhile, political sources said Fadnavis has reported expressed apprehensions that if the project is opposed and not allowed to come up in Maharashtra, then it may be shifted to adjoining Gujarat.
On April 11, a consortium comprising three major Indian oil marketing companies - IOCL, BPCL and HPCL signed a MoU with Saudi Arabian Oil Co, (Saudi Aramco), for setting up an integrated oil refinery and petroleum products complex in the eco-sensitive Ratnagiri.
When completed, the Rs 3 trillion complex at Nanar will be the world's biggest single-location oil refinery project with a capacity to process 60 million tonnes annually.
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New Delhi (PTI): Every word uttered by a minister has to be with a sense of responsibility at a time the country is undergoing "such a situation", the Supreme Court said on Thursday as it reprimanded Madhya Pradesh's Vijay Shah who is facing an FIR for his remarks targeting Col Sofiya Qureshi.
"What sort of statements are you making? You are a responsible minister of the government," Chief Justice of India B R Gavai told Shah. The bench, also comprising Justice Augustine George Masih, will on Friday hear Shah's plea challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court's May 14 order directing an FIR against him for the comments.
"When this country is undergoing such a situation, every sentence or word uttered by a responsible minister has to be with a sense of responsibility," the CJI told Shah's counsel.
"Persons holding such a constitutional office are expected to exercise a degree of restraint," the bench observed.
Senior advocate Vibha Datta Makhija, appearing for Shah, mentioned the matter for urgent listing and said the high court had taken suo motu cognisance and asked for registration of an FIR.
Makhija said the petitioner, the state's tribal affairs minister, has expressed remorse.
"It was a statement which was misunderstood as well. That I can justify to your lordships," she said. "He (Shah) never meant what is being made out by the media," she added.
"Now the FIR is already registered," the bench said.
The senior counsel said the petitioner was seeking a stay on the FIR because he was not heard by the high court.
"I (Shah) am just praying that till I am heard, no action be taken," Makhija said.
The bench asked why the petitioner had not moved the high court seeking relief.
"Merely because somebody is a minister, should we entertain it," the bench asked, adding, "Go and apply before the high court."
When Makhija urged the apex court to see the high court's order, the bench said, "We will have it tomorrow."
In the meanwhile, the senior counsel said, no further action be taken against Shah.
She said the matter was listed for hearing before the high court today.
"Nothing is likely to happen in 24 hours," the bench said, adding that the petitioner can inform the high court that the matter is listed for hearing in the apex court on Friday.
Shah hit the headlines after a video, which was distributed widely, showed him allegedly making objectionable remarks against Col Qureshi, who gained nationwide prominence along with another woman officer, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, during media briefings on Operation Sindoor last week.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court castigated Shah for passing "scurrilous" remarks and using "language of the gutters" against Col Qureshi, and ordered the police to file an FIR against him on the charge of promoting enmity and hatred.
"On the basis of what has been observed herein above, this court directs the Director General of Police of Madhya Pradesh to register forthwith an FIR against minister Vijay Shah for offences under sections 152, 196(1)(b) and 197(1)(c) of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita)," the high court said.
After drawing severe condemnation, the MP minister said he is ready to apologise 10 times if anyone is hurt by his statement and that he respects Col Qureshi more than his sister.
An FIR was registered against Shah in Indore district on Wednesday night following the high court's order, an official said.
The FIR was registered under sections 152 (acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India), 196 (1)(b) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, language, or other similar characteristics) and 197(1)(c) (statement or action that causes or is likely to cause disharmony, enmity, or hatred between different groups) of the BNS.