Shift Nanar refinery to Gujarat, Shiv Sena dares BJP
Ratnagiri (Maharashtra), April 23: Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Monday challenged the BJP to shift the proposed Nanar refinery complex from the eco-sensitive Konkan region of Maharashtra to Gujarat.
"They 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 a Gujarat," Thackeray told a public rally in Nanar village here.
The village is the site for a proposed Rs 3-trillion world's biggest integrated oil refinery and petrochemicals complex with a capacity to process 60 million tonnnes, coming up in collaboration with Saudi Arabian Oil Co known as Saudi Aramco.
Strongly opposing the refinery project, Thackeray reiterated his demand of why Vidarbha (eastern Maharashtra) was not being considered instead of the eco-sensitive and picturesque coastal Konkan region.
"You will not get Nanara. But if you destroy Konkan, then we will finish you. The people of Nanar are firmly united on this," Thackeray roared as the crowds cheered.
Industry Minister Subhash Desai announced the cancellation of the land acquisition process in which the names of several buyers raised questions.
"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," Thackeray said.
Attacking Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Thackeray accused him of reneging on his promises that the project would not be imposed if the local population had objections.
"But Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has made a deal with Saudi Arabia and chucked the CM's assurance into the dustbin. Fadnavis' word is not worth a dime in Delhi. Shift it to Vidarbha or take it to Gujarat, we are not bothered," Thackeray said.
He urged the people of Nanar and surrounding areas not to give up even an inch of their land for the project.
"Today, we are peaceful. But if you continue to oppress us, we will change our tactics. If they come to survey the lands again, stop them in your own way, lie on the roads," the Sena leader said.
Thackeray's rally came a week after several local organisations under the banner of Konkan Refinery Shetkari-Machhimar Sangharsh Samiti and Refinery Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti visited Mumbai and drummed up support for their agitation among all political parties.
Almost all major political parties, including ruling NDA allies Shiv Sena and Narayan Rane's Maharashtra Swabhimani Party, have supported the locals.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses defence minister in surprise announcement
Jerusalem, Nov 5: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed his popular defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as the country is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.
Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza. But Netanyahu had avoided firing his rival. Netanyahu cited “significant gaps” and a “crisis of trust” between the men in his Tuesday evening announcement.
“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister.”
In the early days of the war, Israel's leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. But as the war dragged on and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences have emerged. While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had taken a more pragmatic approach, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for a diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the Hamas group.
Gallant, a former general who has gained public respect with a gruff, no-nonsense personality, said in a statement: “The security of the state of Israel always was, and will always remain, my life's mission."
Gallant has worn a simple, black buttoned shirt throughout the war in a sign of sorrow over the October 7 attack and developed a strong relationship with his US counterpart, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A previous attempt by Netanyahu to fire Gallant in March 2023 sparked widespread street protests against Netanyahu. He also flirted with the idea of dismissing Gallant over the summer but held off until Tuesday's announcement.
Gallant will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister who was a junior officer in the military. Gideon Saar, a former Netanyahu rival who recently rejoined the government, will take the foreign affairs post.
Netanyahu has a long history of neutralising his rivals. In his statement, he claimed he had made “many attempts” to bridge the gaps with Gallant.
“But they kept getting wider. They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy - our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it,” he said.
