Politicos join hands with villagers to oppose Modi's bullet train project

The opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much hyped bullet train project is gaining momentum with each passing day in Maharashtra.

So far, 70 villages have declared their opposition to the project by passing resolutions in gram sabhas. Representatives from these villages, and leaders of political parties opposing the bullet train project, held a day-long meeting in Palghar district recently in order to chalk out the future plan of action.

Social activist Ulka Mahajan told THE WEEK that leaders from the Congress, the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the left parties were present at the meet along with a few legislators. “We had invited Uddhav Thackeray and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. They could not attend, but sent their representatives. Senior legislator and chief whip of Shiv Sena Neelam Gorhe was present along with chief spokesman of the NCP, Nawab Malik.”

Ulka Mahajan further said Neelam Gorhe proposed that a Sagharsh Yatra to oppose the bullet train be launched to cover 70 villages in order to strengthen the opposition to the project.

The bullet train project will require 1,400 hectares of land. Out of this 1,400 hectares, more than 350 hectares will have to be acquired in Maharashtra. A resolution was passed at the meeting, stating that villagers are not willing to give their land for any mega project.

Shiv Sena’s decision to join hands with the Congress, the NCP and the Left parties is being seen as yet another signal to the BJP. People from affected villages had met Uddhav Thackeray on May 18 and he had assured them that his party is against the super fast bullet train project. Shiv Sena was locked in a bitter electoral battle against the BJP in this very constituency of Palghar in the recent parliamentary by-election.

Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe told THE WEEK that she and other senior Shiv Sena leaders will interact with the villagers in all the 70 villages which had passed the resolution against the bullet train. “As a legislator, my track record has been to give voice to the grievances of affected villagers. We will divide these 70 villages among senior Sena leaders and visit them accordingly. The villagers are opposed to the project not because of money, but because it will take away their lands and livelihood. So, we will study the resolution passed by gram sabhas, interact with villagers, and then raise the issue in Parliament and state legislature. Uddhavji Thackeray is visiting Talasari in Palghar district on June 7. We will discuss Sangharsh Yatra with him on that occasion and work out the details,” Gorhe told THE WEEK.

She also stressed that it was much more important to strengthen the existing railway infrastructure in Palghar district than acquiring land for a high speed railway corridor. “That will go a long way in helping local tribal population than bullet train.”