PANJIM: Labelling Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant as “puppet” of the Central government, Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte on Saturday alleged that the former is part of conspiracy to allow diversion of Mhadei River water to Karnataka.
Addressing media persons, Khaunte said the Chief Minister has repeatedly proven his weak leadership on Mhadei issue and hence Goa is not been taken seriously by the Centre.
“We have been continuously demanding withdrawal of the consent letters issued to Karnataka but nothing has happened. Chief Minister, like a puppet is defending Centre’s every decision on Mhadei. Looks like he is part of the game plan, wherein Centre wants to allow Mhadei river water diversion,” former Minister said.
“If Sawant is not able to handle the Mhadei issue, then he should respectfully step down or be with us and protest against the Central government’s injustice done to Goa. Let us not politicise the issue,” he said.
Referring to Chief Minister’s decision to seek Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in the matter, Khaunte said “where is the question of appraising PM now, when Governor has already taken up the matter”.
“Right from day one I had been saying that CM should lead all party delegation to Prime Minister on Mhadei issue. But that never happened,” he said adding ‘Goa is never taken seriously by the BJP centre leaders’.
Porvorim MLA also slammed BJP for holding awareness rally on Citizenship Amendment Act, rather than making public aware about the importance of Mhadei River.
Earlier, Khaunte, in presence of sarpanchas and panchas, presented his report card of last two and half years, highlighting the various works undertaken by him in the constituency.
