Team Herald
PANJIM: Congress, on Sunday, charged that the Narendra Modi-led government has no intention to protect the livelihood of the people dependent on mining industry as it intends to hand over Goa’s iron ore industry to big corporate giants like Adani and Ambanis by way of auctioning.
Addressing media persons, Congress spokesperson Adv Rohit Bras D’Sa has urged BJP’s sitting MPs and Lok Sabha candidates – Shripad Naik and Narendra Sawaikar to make Central government’s stand clear on mining issue before the public.
He also pointed out that Additional Solicitor General of India Atmaram Nadkarni’s submission that auction is the only option before Goa government to restart mining activities, is a clear indication of what Central government wants.
“Even after knowing that Parliament is supreme; even above the Supreme Court, why is that Modi government not interested to bring in an amendment to MMDR act and allow mining to resume? Why is it talking about legal way out? It is only because it wants to auction the leases?” D’Sa charged.
“Modi has no interest to protect the livelihood of the people dependent on mining industry but is more and only interested in protecting the interest of big companies like Adani and Ambanis. Hence, he wants to hand over Goa’s mines to these companies by way of auction,” he charged further.
Taking a dig at sitting BJP MPs, Congress leader sought to know the steps taken by them in convincing the Central government to restart mining. “If MPs cannot convince their own Prime Minister on mining issue, then they don’t deserve to re-contest. How can they even dare to contest and go back to same people with same false promises?” he said.
Mining industry in Goa is shut since March 2018 following Supreme Court order and has been one of the major poll issues. Both State government and people dependent on the industry have made several representations to the Central government seeking amendment to the MMDR Act to allow mining to continue till 2037.
