MARGAO: The Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco has claimed that the people of Goa have lost all hope in their State government because it is hell bent on fulfilling the crony capitalists’ goals of Adani and his ilk.
Describing the State government as callous and cruel, the Congress MLA accused the government of wanting to silence the voice of Goemkars protesting against its centrally imposed disastrous projects including double tracking of the South Western Railway (SWR) line.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
“My recent fear on the Goa BJP-led government of turning to be repressive in coming days is becoming true; I have stated that the stubborn State government may even shoot Goenkars protesting against the disastrous double-tracking of SWR line in the context of the recent firing incident, which took place at Munger in Bihar by its Bihar Government. The first palpable sign of my ominous belief is yesterday’s draconian step of our government directing the Maina Curtorim Police to file the FIR against NGOs and activists who had protested at the Chandor railway Gate last Sunday,” said Reginaldo on Thursday.
“I want to ask this insensitive government, why only organisations like Goyant Kollso Naka and Goencho Ekvott and only activists like Abhijit Prabhudesai, Creson Antao have been booked? Why haven’t so many Goemkars including myself, a three-term MLA, who also had descended at Chandor for the peaceful midnight protest, been booked? Is it that the State wants to silence the voice of Goemkars who are protesting the ill affect of double-tracking of the SWR line on soil of Goa?” he added.
“It is a big shame that the government instead of listening to Goemkars and rescinding the double-tracking of SWR for good, is going ahead with spreading white lies on its benefits,” Reginaldo continued.
“It is sad that after the protest, one State Cabinet Minister on the directives of the Central government, went all out of his way to defend the double-tracking of SWR line with his ill-conceived assertions that ‘Double tracking is not only happening between Hospet and Vasco’. I will show you where all in India, double-tracking is taking place,” said Reginaldo.
“No matter how much this Minister parrots on the instructions of his bosses in Lutyens Delhi, that Goa would not be converted into a coal hub and double-tracking is not being done to promote the expansion of coal to benefit Adani,” he concluded.
