PANJIM: Leader of the Opposition Digamabar Kamat has termed the MoEF&CC letter to Karnataka, to keep the earlier letter in abeyance, as another act of misleading the people Goa.
Reacting to the development, Kamat said the information given to the Goa Chief Minister by Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javdekar, stating that the letter issued to Karnataka has been kept in abeyance, needs to be examined cautiously.
“This can be another act by the Ministry of Environment & Forest to mislead the people of Goa. We had demanded that MoEF should at least keep the letter in abeyance when he had sought ten days time to act on our demand of withdrawal of the letter during the all-party delegation meeting with MoEF Prakash Javdekar. However, there is no basis to keep the letter in abeyance now. The letter should be completely withdrawn,” Kamat said.
Kamat also demanded an explanation from Javdekar on what happened with the committee, which he was supposed to form to investigate the letter. “Who are the members appointed on the said committee and whether any report is submitted by the said committee? Or was the announcement an eyewash to calm down agitators during IFFI?” he asked.
He further said that MoEF&CC had informed the all-party delegation that the letter was issued without his knowledge by some lower staff from the Ministry.
“We now want to know, what action the Minister has initiated against the said staff for giving such an important letter? Goans are emotionally attached to our lifeline Mhadei and Congress will not allow any attempts to kill our Mother Mhadei,” he said.
Kamat further said that the stand of the Congress, that BJP used the letter to get political benefit during recently concluded Karnataka bypolls, stands vindicated.
The Leader of Opposition says that the protests at Jantar Mantar by Congress have helped in opening the eyes and ears of the Ministry of Environment & Forest. “I urge the Chief Minister to demand with the Ministry of Environment & Forest to withdraw the letter immediately,” he said.
