PANJIM: A day after Archives and Archaeology Minister Vijai Sardessai and Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar claimed ignorance over listing of six of Goa’s protected monuments and forts under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme, the Congress on Thursday announced to expose the Ministers’ ‘lies’ with documentary facts revealing it was the State government that had recommended the locations to be taken up under the Central project.
Addressing media persons, incoming Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar said, “I have documentary evidence that will prove that both the Departments (Archives and Archaeology and Tourism) had recommended to the Central government the locations or sites to be taken up under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme,” Chodankar said, giving the ministers till Sunday to apologise..
“A letter from the Centre was attached to Goa Chief Minister asking the State to recommend the sites to be taken up,” the newly appointed GPCC president added.
“I would have exposed the Ministers with the document. But I don’t want to humiliate them as they are part of the government. Hence, I give them two day to apologies to the people of Goa for misleading them on the fact that government was unaware or not taken into confidence. The Minister’s should retract their statement,” he added.
The Ministers had said that government is unaware about the project and that a Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting will be called to discuss it.
