Team Herald
PANJIM: Hours after Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant announced the government’s decision to shift the IIT project from Shel-Melauli, respecting the sentiments of the people; Congress on Friday demanded that the government should also scrap the anti-people three linear projects passing through the Mollem protected wildlife.
In a statement issued, Congress President Girish Chodankar congratulated the Shel-Melauli people and all Goenkars who supported them.
Chodankar added that while the people have aced it with great unity to protect land, the Chief Minister and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane bent down only to save and protect their political career.
Reacting to the Chief Minister’s statement that the decision has been taken to respect the sentiments of the people, Chodankar said that people of Goa cannot be fooled as the decision was taken only to save their political careers.
“The true test of respecting public sentiments will be seen from his actions as regards to railway double tracking, four-laning of the National Highway and laying of power transmission lines. These projects are not confined to only a particular area but affect the life line of every Goenkar. The Chief Minister should not delay in announcing the scrapping of these three projects,” he demanded.
Chodankar also demanded to withdraw the cases filed against protestors immediately.
“Congress will not keep quiet, if the cases are not withdrawn, as these cases have been fabricated to suppress the voice of people,” he said.
Chodankar has informed that the call given by apolitical “Tiranga Satyagraha’ by him on January 17, is temporarily called off.
