Ruling BJP ally Shiv Sena along with the Opposition Congress and NCP today forced a washout of the proceedings of the Maharashtra Assembly and Council over the issue of the proposed Nanar refinery project.
Both the Houses were unable to transact any significant business as members of the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP created ruckus, forcing their early adjournment.
In the Assembly, members of the Sena, the Congress and NCP kept demanding scrapping of the Nanar project, forcing Speaker Haribhau Bagde to adjourn the House multiple times.
The refinery project, proposed to be set up at Nanar in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, is being opposed by local people as well as the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), as they claim that it would damage the ecology.
As soon as the House assembled for the day today, Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil demanded that the day's business be set aside and the Nanar refinery issue be taken up for debate.
He also demanded that the government announce scrapping of the project, or else the opposition will not allow the House to function.
Vikhe Patil said that during a protest over the issue in Nagpur yesterday, some leaders were turned away by agitators.
However, Sunil Prabhu (Shiv Sena) objected to Vikhe Patil's comments, alleging that he was insulting the Sena by making a "false" statement.
He demanded an apology from Vikhe Patil.
Some Congress members then got up and said Vikhe Patil had not even named the Sena, but only stated that some people's opposition to the project was not real.
Vikhe Patil said the gram panchayats of 17 villages, which are likely to be affected by the project, have staunchly opposed the proposed refinery.
He alleged that land acquisition for the project was being done by misusing the government machinery.
"Fake documents are being prepared, like in the name of a person called Maruti Manjrekar, who is missing as per police records for the last 30 years. A complaint in this connection has been filed at the local police station," he said.
Amid noisy scenes and arguments between members of the Sena and the Congress, the House was initially adjourned for 10 minutes.
When the House reassembled, NCP's Bhaskar Jadhav said the issue was not just about 17 villages getting affected.
"The nuclear power project in Jaitapur is (likely to come up) just 1,200 metres away from the Nanar refinery, and this is like inviting a disaster. There will be development and job creation only if we and our future generations will be alive," he said.
The Shiv Sena members then trooped into the well of the House and started shouting slogans, demanding scrapping of the refinery project.
The Congress and the NCP members also joined in to support the demand.
The Speaker rushed through two questions listed for the day and then adjourned the House till the end of the Question Hour.
Later, the Chair took up laying of papers and introduction of bills but again adjourned the House for 15 minutes as the uproar continued.
The House was adjourned once again as the noisy scenes continued unabated.
Later, amid the din, Bills pertaining to an amendment to the Code of Civil Procedure, compensation for acquired land, and an amendment to the Cooperative Societies Act for holding of elections were passed by a voice vote.
However, as members continued to stall proceedings, the Chair adjourned the House for the day.
In the Legislative Council, members of the Congress and NCP demanded that the Nanar issue be discussed.
However, the Council chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar turned down their request.
Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announce scrapping of the project.
At the same time, Sunil Tatkare (NCP) said the announcements made by the CM and Industries Minister (Subhash Desai of Sena) on Nanar refinery were totally contradictory and misleading.
"There is no clarity on whether the minister has the right to denotify or issue a notification. The CM just says that Desai has studied the issue and that the government is also going through it," Tatkare said.
He was referring to Desai's announcement in April this year that the notification to acquire land for Nanar refinery stood cancelled. However, the chief minister had rubbished Desai's claim.
Opposition MLCs also raised the Dhule lynching incident in which five nomads were killed earlier this month and demanded that government take necessary steps to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
They also demanded immediate release of Rs 5 lakh compensation announced by the state government to the kin of each of the five deceased.
Soon after, the issue once again veered towards the Nanar refinery.
As members of the NCP and Congress continued to raise slogans, the chairman adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes.
The sloganeering continued even after the House reconvened, following which the Chair adjourned the council for the day.
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