Digambar steers clear of Karwar merger issue
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, DEC 12
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has clearly distanced himself and his government from the row kicked up by his senior Cabinet colleague, PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao over the merger of Karwar with Goa.
Kamat told Herald that whatever statement that Churchill has made on the controversy are his personal opinion and does not reflect the views and opinion of the government. “The government has not taken any stand on the issue nor is there any proposal from any quarter for the merger of Karwar with Goa”, Kamat said.
The PWD Minister had been a strong votary of the merger of Karwar into the State and had been championing the cause of merger since the demise of Jnanpith award winner, Ravindra Kelekar.
However, the issue did not evoke any support from the Congress party leaders, including the Chief Minister. In fact, the merger issue has not evoked support from Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik and the South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha, who have favoured retaining the State’s identity.
Even senior Congress leader, CWC member and a leading light of the Konkani movement, Luizinho Faleiro had come out openly in favour of retaining the State identity.
Faleiro had categorically opposed the idea for a Greater Goa espoused by his political rival, saying he doesn’t want the ghost of merger to come in Goa through the back door. In fact, Faleiro had asked all the champions of the lost causes to stop misguiding Goans on the agenda for a Greater Goa.
