Jaitapur: Rane blames Sena for instigating stir

Maharashtra Industry Minister Narayan Rane on Monday blamed the Shiv Sena for instigating people at Jaitapur against the proposed nuclear power plant, which led to a violent protest killing one.

"This was Sena's attempt to gain political mileage. We have records of meetings taken by local legislators in the villages and a meeting held at Sena Bhavan to call a bandh in Jaitapur after which the people protested," Rane informed the Legislative Council in Mumbai.

The opposition Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party members had moved an adjournment motion to discuss the issue of Jaitapur keeping aside all the business. The House was adjourned twice as the opposition demanded a discussion on the issue under rule 289. It was adjourned for a third time due to the absence of a Cabinet minister.

Chairman of the House Shivajirao Deshmukh allowed the discussion under rule 93. However, the adjournment motion was refused with the House voting against it. The motion was rejected as only 14 Sena-BJP members voted in favour of it as against 40 Congress-Nationalist Congress Party members who opposed it.

In reply to the discussion, Rane said Sena's rally on April 9 instigated the local people and the atmosphere became sensitive. The minister also refuted the charge that police had beaten up people by barging into their homes.

"A similar protest took place before the Enron power plant was set up in Konkan. But the people who opposed the project later turned into contractors," Rane said. He also warned the agitators that Konkan may not get new development projects in future if the nuclear power plant is withdrawn.