PANJIM: Senior Karnataka minister R V Deshpande, defending the illegal hutments at Vasco on Thursday, in an ugly retort, indirectly threatened Goan professionals working in Bangalore, if the State government goes ahead and demolishes illegal hutments at Baina beach.
“Don’t forget that there are 15,000 to 20,000 information technology professionals working in Bangalore,” Deshpande said in Panjim after meeting Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar when asked why he does not also try to resolve the Mhadei issue in the same way he came down to Goa hurriedly to save 205 illegal huts.
The minister was apparently disturbed with the State government’s decision to demolish illegally erected hutments at Baina, Vasco. The hutments are mostly of migrants from Karnataka and other neighbouring States. Deshpande accused the Goa government of picking and choosing only Karnataka people in its action.
“There are so many huts. But only those of Kannadigas are being demolished. Government has already cut their electricity and water connections. Government has selectively singled out the 205 huts for demolition,” Deshpande said.
Deshpande said such steps by the Goa government will adversely affect Goa-Karnataka relations. “I have told the chief minister of Goa to stay the demolition of the hutments till the rehabilitation is been properly done,” Deshpande said.
