Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray has been denied permission to hold public meeting at barsu by the Ratnagiri district administration.
Thackeray, who was supposed to address a public meeting at Barsu on Saturday (May 6), is likely to address only a press conference now, party sources have said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) had sought permission to hold a public meeting at Barsu on Saturday. Meanwhile, the district BJP announced a rally in support of the proposed refinery project in Ratnagiri on the same day. The district administration then denied permission to Thackeray’s public meeting citing law and order issues at the site.
In light of the development ,Thackeray is most likely to only address a press conference and meet some villagers as well as the agitators who are protesting against the project.
According to local Shiv Sena (UBT) workers, 51 different organizations in Rajapur have supported their party’s stand. Also, most of village panchayat bodies too are in favour of Shiv Sena (UBT) and opposing the refinery project. All of them would have attended Uddhav Thackeray’s public meeting. But, now since permission for public meeting has been denied, all these supporters are likely to meet Thackeray in person, party sources said.
Activists from 51 NGOs, elected members from five village panchayats in vicinity of barsu, land owners, owners of mango orchards, traders, fishermer are all expecetd to meet Thackeray in small groups now, said the sources.
Thackeray, on Wednesday, had dared the government saying that they should talk to people and make a presentation about the project in front of the local people if they are so convinced about the project.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had criticized the agitation against the project saying that there are hardly any local faces and that certain elements are trying to vitiate the atmosphere. While reacting to Fadnavis, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that the agitators in Barsu are local and have not arrived from Pakistan.
