Congress calls for CM’s resignation

PANJIM: As the water woes of people of Tiswadi and Ponda continued for the 6th day, Congress has demanded for the resignation of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for his failure to handle the situation. 

The people of two talukas are suffering from a major water crisis since August 15, after landslide of the earth embankment at the Curti-Khandepar that caused a breakdown of major 900 mm dia DI and 750 mm dia CI pipelines, supplying water to these two areas. 

Since then, the government has been giving out deadlines after deadlines to restore the water supply. The people at present are relying on tankers and bottle water to meet their day-to-day requirements. 

Addressing media persons on Tuesday, Congress State President Girish Chodankar said that the Chief Minister should take moral responsibility and resign from the post for failing to provide the basic need of the people that is water. 

"BJP government has created a record of no water in two talukas for six days. This is yet another history under their name.  This shows how much they are incapable to handle administration. Water is a basic necessity. And till date, there is no sign of water being supplied to the people," Chodankar said.

Chodankar said that if there is any morality then Chief Minister would have resigned and taken the responsibility. He said that if the Chief Minister is unable to handle the situation, then some mature and experienced person should have been given the charge to head the government. 

"Chief Minister, PWD Minister (Deepak Pauskar) are busy in saving their chair. Alternate arrangement (regarding water supply) is just an announcement for the people," he said.

Taking dig at former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chodankar accused the BJP of being ignorant towards the history due to which they are just blaming former Prime Minister and Congress leader Jawaharlal Nehru for everything.

“Thank God, they have not blamed Nehru for pipe bust at Ponda," he quipped. 

Referring to the recent statement by Chouhan that liberation of Goa was delayed due to wrong priorities of Nehru, Chodankar said the then central government wanted to have non-violent means to add this part to India. 

“It is a well known fact that RSS and its sister organizations were with British government when country was fighting for independence. These organisations were never with the freedom struggle,” he added.