Swabhiman Paksh workers try to disrupt press conference in

Workers of the Swabhiman Paksh today tried to disrupt a press conference here in support of the proposed mega refinery project in the coastal Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

Congress MLA Nitesh Rane -- whose father Narayan Rane has floated the Swabhiman Paksh -- defended the act. Nanar Prakalp Bachao Samiti, which held the press conference, had no connection with Ratnagiri district, he said.

"This refinery project will destroy the future and soil of the fertile Konkan region. We will do whatever it takes and go to any extent to oppose the people who support this project," Rane told PTI.

Nitesh Rane's father and Rajya Sabha MP Narayan Rane floated the Swabhiman Paksh after quitting the Congress.

The protesting Swabhiman Paksh workers were removed from the venue of the press conference by police, and the event proceeded.

Ajay Sengar of the Nanar Prakalp Bachao Samiti claimed the protests were a ploy to shift the project to Gujarat.

"We want development of Konkan and do not want to let those who want to take this project to Gujarat under the garb of protests, win," Sengar said.

The project falls under heavy industries department, which is the portfolio of Union minister Anant Geete, a Shiv Sena leader, he said.

The state industry department under Subhash Desai and the state environment department under Ramdas Kadam had given the required NOCs for the project, he said.

Both Desai and Kadam are from the Shiv Sena, but the party is now opposing the project, said Sengar.

Shiv Sena, an ally of the ruling BJP, is opposed to the project, citing local opposition and threat to the environment.