PANAJI
In what could be termed as a major victory for the anti-IIT protesters, Health Minister and Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane on Tuesday wrote to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant urging him to scrap the proposed IIT project in Sattari immediately.
In the letter that was circulating on social media, the health minister appealed to CM to make a public announcement so that peace could return in his constituency.
“I need to side with the people... ultimately, I am the representative elected by them,” he said in his letter. “People’s views are changing and all those who had earlier supported the project are today against it,” he said.
Claiming he was not taken into confidence on the massive police deployment at Melauli, he asked Sawant to take action against the policemen who lathicharged the agitators who were protesting peacefully. He also requested the CM to withdraw all the police cases filed against the agitators.
Stating that the reason for initiating the project in Sattari was to bring in lot of development and vibrancy and to make it educational hub, Rane said, “the plan was never to use police or to manhandle the agitators.”
Coming out in full support of the protesters, Rane said, “I don’t want IIT in Sattari if the people don’t want it. I promise that as long as I am your MLA, IIT will never be set up in Sattari”.
The trouble started ever since police entered the villages, he said adding no project can be thrust on the people by using police force.
Expressing his faith in the CM and BJP central leadership, Rane said that his opposition to IIT was a result of the public sentiments.
He said that his family including his father Pratapsingh Rane has always worked for the Sattari taluka tirelessly and he will take forward his father’s the legacy. “The people of Sattari are like my family and I stand with them at this hour,” he added.
At least 12 policemen and several villagers were injured last week when clashes broke out after police lathicharged the villagers who were protesting peacefully.
