MARGAO: MLA Churchill Alemao has blamed his predecessor representing Benaulim Constituency in the Assembly for the mess in the Visionary Co-operative Society.
He said that had his predecessor raised the issue of the Society in the Assembly, people would have stopped investing their money in the Society.
Addressing a press conference, here, Alemao said, “I did not have any knowledge on the issue until people came to my office. On January 18, around 400 to 500 people came to my office to tell that the Visionary Society branch at Majorda has defrauded people of their deposits and Colva police are not taking their complaints. I was the one, who called the Colva police inspector and told him to detain the passport of the owner.”
“I mistakenly said that FIR has been filed in the complaint, but there is no FIR but there is only complaint. Venzy Veigas came for rally without invitation. If you are captain look at the ship and if you wish to fight election do the work of people, don’t cheat people,” Alemao said.
Alemao recalled that the same had happened in Curtorim wherein an FIR was filed in 2010 and people stopped investing in that branch.
“If the MLA had in 2010 and 2013 after the complaints of two of their branches brought the issue in Assembly, then, today’s situation wouldn’t have happened. Not less than Rs 18 crore has gone now,” he said and assured that he would raise the issue in Assembly.
“This is the money of marginalised people. I want to meet the Chief Minister on this and inquiry has to happen. An administrator has been appointed,” he said.
Former Colva sarpanch Menino Fernandes said, “This Venzy is doing politics out of the issue of poor people. If you want to enter politics come and work and become a good politician don’t create unrest and make allegations.”
