Thousands of protesters gathered in Dahanu, Maharashtra, on Monday, January 19, 2026. They started a "long march" against the Maharashtra Government’s Vadhavan port project. The march moved from Charoti village towards Palghar collector’s office. Organisers include the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the All India Kisan Sabha. The protesters demand that the Vadhavan port project be stopped. They say it will ruin the livelihoods of fisherfolk in Palghar. Ashok Dhawale, National President of the All India Kisan Sabha, said, "The Vadhavan port needs to be stopped because it will destroy the livelihood of people in Palghar, especially fisherfolk. We will continue protests, until our demands are accepted." He also wants land ownership returned to tribals under the Forest Rights Act. The Dahanu Taluka Environmental Protection Authority had denied clearance to the port project. Earlier attempts to clear it were made in 2015 when the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Maharashtra Maritime Board signed an agreement. The Central Pollution Control Board then classified ports as non-industrial, and the Ministry of Environment cleared the way. Vinod Nikole, CPI(M) MLA from Dahanu, joined the protest. He warned, "If our demands are not fulfilled, then we will take it to Mumbai." He criticized hefty electricity bills and called to remove smart meters, calling them a tool to privatize electricity and make it expensive. He also said, "MNREGA should continue, and provide at least 200 days of employment in a year." Another protest by the Vadhavan Bunder Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti (VBVSS) took place in Palghar. VBVSS represents local farmers, tribals, and fisherfolk. They oppose the port project as illegal and damaging to the environment. In a letter to the collector, they said the project breaks a 1998 DTEPA order and violates a Supreme Court ruling that Dahanu is an eco-sensitive zone. VBVSS Secretary Vaibhav Vaze said, "We have been opposing the project for 30 years. The petition is being considered by the Supreme Court; how can Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis claim that work is underway? This amounts to contempt of court." They also criticized the impact assessment, saying it ignored public objections and lacked plans for fisherman rehabilitation. The long march will end on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at the Palghar collector’s office.