Team Herald
MARGAO: Stating that he boycotted the State-Level Organising Committee (SLOC) meeting held on Friday as it is contrary to the current state Goenkars are facing, Goa Forward Party (GFP) presidentVijai Sardesai on Saturday said what Chief Minister Pramod really wants to celebrate is the betrayal of Goa over COVID-19, double-tracking coal Mhadei & Finances.
The meeting was convened by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant at the Secretariat, Porvorim with regards to 60th Liberation Day celebrations.
“I boycotted the SLOC meeting for the Goa Liberation Day celebrations hosted by Dr Pramod Sawant as this is contrary to the current state Goemkars are facing. What Goa CM really wants to celebrate is the betrayal of Goa over COVID19 DoubleTracking Coal Mhadei & Finances,” Sardesai said in a series of tweets,
“On this Liberation Day, Goemkars will remember the recklessness and insensitivity of the Dr Pramod Sawant government that chooses to celebrate while numerous of Goans continue to struggle financially, medically and socially during these challenging times, he tweeted further.”
GFP Working President Kiran Kandolkar said, “It is a waste of public money at a time when Goa economy is in shambles, with the government borrowing to pay salaries.”
He said, “The party stands by its demand that the celebrations be scrapped and the money be used to help rickshaw owners, motorcycle pilots, taxi operators, and bus owners, who are badly affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
On December 1, 2020, Opposition parties including the GFP had opposed the Rs 100 cr expenditure on Liberation festivities and had appealed to the Chief Minister to use the funds to revive the State’s economy.
MGP’s Marcaim MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister Sudin Dhavalikar had urged the Chief Minister to avoid unnecessary expenditure on the celebrations and instead use the amount to help those who have been most affected by the pandemic. Spending Rs 100 cr at this juncture defies logic, Dhavalikar had said.
Opposition leader Digambar Kamat had said, “It appears that the meeting convened on Tuesday is just a formality as the agenda of the said meeting is to approve the proposal submitted by the Department of Information and Publicity for the celebration of 60th year of Goa’s Liberation.”
However, Kamat and Dhavalikar attended the meeting on December 4 at the Secretariat.
Briefing media persons, the Chief Minister said, “Both the leaders Digambar Kamat and Sudin Dhavalikar were happy and satisfied with the proposal and presentation discussed at the meeting”.
