Congress with locals until Vadhavan port is scrapped, says Sapkal

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshwardhan Sapkal has said the fight begun by local people will not end until the proposed Vadhavan port project in Palghar district is cancelled. He said the Congress party stands with the people in this fight with all its strength.

Sapkal was speaking at the Ulgulan Vadhavan anti-port Jan Aakrosh Sabha held at Varor Vadhavan in Palghar district. Shiv Sena MLA Ambadas Danve, former MLAs Hitendra Thakur and Kapil Patil were present. Deepak Pawar, Congress district president Satyam Thakur, state Congress general secretary Brijkishore Dutt, Manish Gonare and Dhananjay Shinde also attended. Representatives of various organisations and thousands of people took part.

"The Vadhavan port in Palghar district is not in the interest of Maharashtra. This project strikes at the roots of local people, farmers and fishermen," Sapkal said. He alleged that the "Ranga-Billa" of Delhi do not want to develop Palghar but want to develop Adani, and that this is why the project has been brought. In Sapkal's words, this destructive project is aimed at the roots of Maharashtra and will destroy the homes and livelihoods of local people.

He also said Rahul Gandhi has taken the initiative to give a common platform to the various movements. According to Sapkal, 36,000 movements have been registered in this campaign, of which 3,500 are under way in Maharashtra. They concern issues such as education, health, land and the environment. Sapkal said the movements may be different, but their enemy is one.

Sapkal said that if the fight for Vadhavan is won, it will be a victory for all the movements. "But until the little 56-inch monkey of Delhi goes, this bandar will not go either," he said. He said the fight has begun to save Maharashtra and Vadhavan.

Finally, Sapkal appealed to the agitators to stay united. He alleged that, like the British policy of "divide and rule", the BJP government is also trying to split this movement. For this reason, he asked people to remain united.