Team Herald
Panjim: Accusing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for branding Congress as “most corrupt” by misleading people with an alleged illegal mining scam worth Rs 35,000cr, the opposition has demanded an apology from the former, for failing to prove the allegations.
The Congress party has also demanded that Parrikar should apologize to then chief minister and MLA Digambar Kamat for defaming him by alleging his involvement in the mining scam.
In a joint press conference addressed by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Girish Chodankar, legislative party leader Chandrakant Kavlekar and AICC secretary and Goa desk in-charge Dr Chellakumar, the leaders accused Parrikar, the then Leader of Opposition, for creating an “illusion” of Rs 35,000 crore mining scam involving Kamat and other MLAs to gain power in 2012 Assembly election.
“Parrikar in 2011 left no stone unturned to humiliate and defame Congress party and our then Chief Minister Digamber Kamat and other MLAs accusing their involvement into Rs 35,000 crore mining scam. An illusion was created to gain power. BJP mislead the people. And as a result, our party was thrown out of power with us reduced to only nine MLAs,” Chodankar said.
He said that Parrikar, as a leader of opposition, had drafted a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report exposing illegal mining; but the report was never tabled in the House, nor was accepted by the Assembly and no discussion ever took place. “So where has the report disappeared? Was the report drafted only to create illusion? Was it just a political stunt to gain power?” he questioned.
“Parrikar need to take the responsibility…accountability and explain. Explain why he lied to people and if not lied then what steps he has taken. He needs to apologize to Congress party, Digamber Kamat and his family, our MLAs who lost election in 2012. We were defamed…a sort of character assassination was done,” he said.
Dr Chellakumar said that BJP and Parrikar tried its level best to brand Congress party as most corrupt party and they succeeded in misleading people and gained power in 2012. “BJP convinced people that we are corrupt and now they have no answer,” he said.
AICC leader said that since Chief Minister is suffering from pancreatic cancer, party is not going aggressive against him and using harsh words. “But, he need to explain to the people,” he said.
Kavlekar said that Parrikar, whose illusion led to closer of mining industry in 2012, also needs to apologize to the mining dependents, whose livelihood is at stake today.
