As the unmanned vessel continued to be grounded off Goa coast, Congress on Tuesday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s immediate intervention to inquire Pakistan’s link with vessel. The Opposition accused the State government of trying to sacrifice national security for the lust of money through naphtha, which is in the vessel.
The unmanned vessel “MT Nu Shi Nalini” laden with 2,600 metric tonnes of naphtha, 50 tonnes of heavy oil and 19 tonnes diesel has run aground near Dona Paula waters near Raj Bhavan, 2.5 nautical miles off the coast, since last week. The government has been making efforts to unload the naphtha, however, has failed to get any result.
Addressing media persons, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar demanded that the Prime Minister should appoint Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the vessel, which according to documents has originated from Pakistan.
Chodankar said that the party will immediately write to Prime Minister as the issue is of national security.
“It is the issue of national security as the vessel has come from Pakistan. As per documents obtained under RTI, the authorities namely Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), Customs, have said that the vessel has originated from Pakistan. So, there is threat to national security,” he said.
“Everyone knows how the terror attack took place in Mumbai…how those terrorists entered in small boats…we just cannot ignore this ship,” he added.
“We don’t know what is there inside the vessel apart from naphtha as no one has landed on the vessel. There has to be detail investigation to see the Pakistan link,” Chodankar added.
The Congress leader further charged that the financial lust of Milind Naik , Urban Development Minister and Mormugao MLA, has put Goa into danger. He said that MPT, where the vessel was originally anchored, had no facility to repair the ship or to unload the naphtha, despite that it was granted permission.
“Everything was done on the instance of Milind Naik, who has complete monopoly in the port town,” Chodankar said alleging that Naik was suppose to purchase the naphtha at cost of Rs 1.5 crore and later supply was to be made to Goa-based private companies.
He said that, however, with rise in custom duty from 18 per cent to 200 per cent, since the naphtha was from Pakistan, the idea to purchase the same was dropped. The custom duty was made 200 per cent post the Pulwama attack.
Congress has demanded that an inquiry should be conducted against the Minister and MPT for allowing the vessel to anchor, while alleging that illegalities were involved.
