The Congress, on Saturday, accepted Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s challenge for a public debate on the issue of fish laced with formalin being sold to Goans and lamented that the government is playing with the lives of lakhs of people for the sake of a few agents dealing with fish.
MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, while accepting Vishwajit’s challenge, advised him not to dance to the tunes of the BJP high command in his efforts to jostle for a prime slot in the eventuality of BJP functioning without Manohar Parrikar.
Goa in charge Dr Chellakumar expressed surprise that the government has become so insensitive to the feelings of the people. “In the last few days I have seen that people are apprehensive about what they eat and the government is not at all bothered to address this fear of the people,” he said.
In fact he said the government has not been functioning for the last about 6 months and said that even though they have the numbers to form the government, they have decided to address the people’s issues first and let government formation take a back seat.
“Leaving aside politics the Congress is willing to support the government to have a thorough discussion on this issue involving all parties and social minded citizens including NGOs,” he said while denying that his party former chief minister Digambar Kamat was responsible for promoting Maulana Ibrahim who is said to be the kingpin of the fish traders.
Dr Chellakumar who visited Shanti Avedan Sadan a house for terminally ill cancer patients where presently nine people are housed said they did not want to disturb or disrespect the office of the Governor and said they have followed the procedure of addressing the Governor their various issues.
He said the Governor will take appropriate action on the matter said the Congress is prepared for anything and everything. “We have the numbers to even form the government as various people are in talks with us,” he said not ruling out the possibility of re-admitting some people who had quit the party.
