Team Herald
PANJIM: Stating that the people of Goa are being “betrayed” and “let down” by the BJP-led State government on Mhadei issue, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat on Friday pointed out a needle of suspicion towards the Pramod Sawant-led government for compromising the interest of Goa.
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In a statement issued on Friday, Kamat said that while one side, the State was listening to the hollow assurances made by the Goa Chief Minister, on the other side, the action of Jal Shakti Ministry to notify Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal Award, has left Goa “high & dry”.
“This is complete betrayal of Goa. The needle of suspicion of compromising the interest of Goa clearly points towards the Goa Government, going by its actions in last few months,” the former Chief Minister commented.
Kamat said that State government should take responsibility and answer to the people over its failure to protect Goa’s interest.
“The government is answerable to the people of Goa. The Goans need an explanation on why the lethargic approach was adopted by the Government in last six months, when alarm bells had already started ringing. What was conspiring,” he said.
Kamat said that the notification is evidence that both the Central and State Governments have shown partisan approach towards Karnataka.
“How can a notification be issued just hours after a high-level delegation met the Union Water Resource Minister? The government has succumbed to pressure tactics,” he questioned.
“The government refused a one-day assembly session; they did not accept our suggestion to take the all-party delegation to the Prime Minister and also disallowed the Adjournment Motion moved by the United Opposition on Mhadei. The government certainly wanted to hide the facts from coming out, which would have caused them embarrassment. Just a day before the Chief Minister also refused White Paper on Mhadei,” he added.
Later in the evening, addressing media persons, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesperson Amarnath Panjikar said that the notification was a “well planned conspiracy of Goa BJP and Karnataka BJP against the people of Goa”.
“Goa Chief Minister was the main conspirator, who was ready to compromise anything to protect his chair,” he charged.
Pointing to the fact that the senior counsel, representing Goa, did not raise any objection to Karnataka’s plea to notify the tribunal award, Panjikar questioned “then why has an whopping amount of Rs 16.67 crores been spent on lawyers to defend Goa in Mhadei matter”.
