Unmesh Gujarati
Sprouts Exclusive
There is a lot of opposition to the refinery project at Ratnagiri. But the protesting journalist was brutally murdered. Not only this but many such protesting sincere social workers were also sent notices of tadipar Social activists fighting against this have been attacked many times. These social workers had made numerous complaints. However, these complaints were always dismissed by the police administration.
On September 12, 2022, the social workers filed a complaint at the police station. In this complaint, it was mentioned that these social workers are in danger of their lives. Not only this, it has been given in written form that death threats are coming. It complained that if the office bearers, guides, and local opponents of our organization were attacked and their lives were harmed, State Industries Minister Uday Samant, who is the Guardian Minister of Ratnagiri district, Uday Samant, local MLA Rajan Salvi, Kiran (Bhaiya) Samant, Pandharinath Amberkar, etc. should be held responsible. But this letter was shown as a basket of rubbish. A piece of detailed news about this was published only by Shashikant Warise in the daily “Mahanagari Times” on September 14, 2022.
What was the case?
On September 12, 2022, social activists and office bearers of anti-refinery organization Narendra Joshi and Deepak Joshi, and other activists were assaulted in the Rajapur court premises. These activists, who somehow survived, filed a complaint against land mafia Pandharinath Amberkar and his goons at the police station. But, the police took no serious notice of this. As a result, Amberkar and his goons openly threatened to kill activists and farmers on September 13 at the police station. In fact, had the police taken action against Amberkar and his goons simultaneously, journalist Warise would not have been killed. But due to Uday Samant’s ascendancy over Amberkar and pressure on the police, the investigation system went cold, according to alleged social activist advocate Dilip Inkar.
The growing dominance of Samant is likely to be undermined
The killing of journalist Shashikant Warise in Ratnagiri is a very sensitive issue. But Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has kept silent in this murder case. On the contrary, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for this. Meanwhile, Sanjay Raut has tweeted a picture of Pandharinath Amberkar, the main accused in this murder, and Guardian Minister Uday Samant. This tweet may indicate that Samant was the mastermind behind the murder.
According to the sources of “Sprouts,” the monopoly dominance of Uday Samant and his brother Kiran alias Bhaiya Samant, can be fit into this case. The possibility of “putting” Kiran Samant’s political future in jeopardy is also being predicted. If this happens, the growing political and economic ambitions of the Samant brothers may begin to suffer.
About Shashikant Warise:
Ratnagiri-based journalist Shashikant Warise was murdered on February 6. The killing was done very brutally. Warise was doing journalism very honestly and faithfully. He used to write for a daily ‘Mahanagari Times’. He was the representative of the Ratnagiri district of this daily. Each division in this district had its own ‘sources’.
They cringe at the destructive projects imposed on the Konkani people by the Modi government. His news was explosive but credible. He was one of those who considered journalism a vow. The condition of his house is bad. But they never succumbed to any lure, nor cowered in fear of threats. Even earlier, he was threatened by many people, like Pandharinath Amberkar. But he didn’t listen to anyone.
The economic situation is also desperate
Shashikant’s house is in a remote Kasheli village in Rajapur taluka. Only 5 to 6 people can sit in this house.
In the family, there is only one son named Yash, the mother is very old, and she too is now bedridden due to age. Yash’s mother died when he was four years old.
After some months, Pandharinath Amberkar, like other accused, will be acquitted due to a lack of strong evidence or an accident case because he still has the hidden blessing of the local leaders. But what about 19-year-old son Yash and his 75-year-old mother, who are currently under a lot of stress?
Shashikant Warise’s journalistic idealism is respected by ‘Sprouts’
