Herald: You joined the AAP more than a year ago but you’ve now left and joined the Congress. Why?
Nilkanth Gawas: My wife and I have formally left the AAP just 15 days back but the displeasure was conveyed to them at least 7 or 8 months ago. Yes, I had joined the AAP for a reason and I have a reason for leaving as well. I had joined the party in the hope that the problems we mining dependent people are facing could be solved. However, after joining, I realized that there is no strong leadership within the party and clashes would ensue among the few members. That’s the reason I left the party for the Congress. I had joined the Congress 35 years ago and during the last election, I supported the BJP, but even the BJP failed to reach our expectation.
Herald: What are your plans now? Do you plan to contest the Assembly elections from Sakhalim constituency since you’re rejoined the Congress?
Gawas: Right now, I have no plans to contest the election and I have no intention also behind joining the Congress. I have not even spoken to my family and taken them into confidence. But during the coming election, I will try to get elected as the Congress candidate from Sakhalim. I have realized that the Congress was much better than the BJP and now I am repenting supporting BJP during the last election. I worked in Sanvordem and Sakhalim for the victory of the BJP candidate. I joined the Congress in 1976 but my work wasn’t recognized by the party then. Now we’re in a time where all aspirants from the constituency must come together and work for the party and unite against the BJP.
Herald: What is the issue you are talking about which the government has failed to resolve?
Gawas: It is mining related and the common people who are dependent on mining. Common people are not mine owners or lease holders, they are in the transporting business and that too, this government has failed to resolve. Now after restarting mining operations in Goa, the government started acting like the agents of mining companies and intervened where there was no need at all. We were ready to accept the rates which they had fixed, we are also aware that ore rates in the international market are dropped but we were demanding that once it grows, the companies should also increase the transportation rates but they were not agreeing. We had given them four options which would have amicably resolved the matter, but I feel this government has some ulterior motive. We were even ready for transportation with the rates fixed in 2010 for Rs 11.27 per tonne per kilometer when diesel cost was Rs 39.601 per liter but asked to provide us the diesel at that cost. But there was no headway only because of the selfish interest of the BJP MLAs.
Herald: Do you think that the rates should be decided between mining companies and truckers?
Gawas: Yes, of course the rates of transportation should be decided by truckers and mining companies. The government has no role in it. Why is the government so interested? Why is the Chief Minister taking such an interest? Why is there interference? I asked the CM once to let the company people talk and why they were becoming their mouth pieces. The government is completely working in the interest of mining companies and not in the interest of common people whose daily bread depends on that. The government should also see their balance sheet of the past and see how many crores they have earned.
