In 2011, Ajitsingh Rane called up the President of Mayem Bhoovimochan Nagrik Kruti Samiti Kashinath Mayekar and extended his support in the Mayem movement. The Samiti called a general body meeting and decided to welcome the activist lawyer as the legal advisor in the decade long Mayem custodian issue. After decades of agitation and protest by the Samiti, former CM, Manohar Parrikar in the year 2014, passed a special ordinance to sort out the evacuee property issue. When Rane joined in 2011, the movement turned vocal and aggressive as his harsh statements were quickly picked up by the media. “He became the key person in the movement and we welcomed him as he was aware of legal proceedings,” said president of Mayem Samiti, Kashinath Mayekar. However since last year, Rane is hardly seen participating in the Mayem issue. When queried about his existence in the Samiti, Kashinath said, “From the time he joined the Shiv Sena as the state president, he is not getting time and therefore he is avoiding the Samiti. Now he is burdened with too many responsibilities.” Meanwhile Rane said, “Majority of members of the Samiti belong to BJP and since I am against the government, I have been kept on the sidelines. Majority of the members are hand-in-glove with the BJP government and are trying to suppress the main cause.” Surprisingly, when Rane moved out from the Samiti, the state government passed the Condade de Mayem (Abolition of Title and Proprietorship of Lands in Mayem) bill, in the assembly.
The Mayem evacuee issue
