PORVORIM: The State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday witnessed ruckus following verbal spat between ruling and opposition benches after Independent legislator Vijai Sardesai alleged involvement of BJP legislators into illegal iron ore mining business.
“Ruling MLAs are involved in the transportation business and illegal mining activity. Their relatives own mining machineries which are brought from outside debarring the locals from having the business opportunities,” Sardesai alleged on the floor of the House during Question Hour provoking the ruling benches to react plunging the House into ruckus.
“Assembly is run by mining MLAs and agents of consultants,” he charged.
BJP legislators Siddharth Kunkolienkar, Subhash Faldesai, Dr Pramod Sawant and Nilesh Cabral stood up in the House to protest against the statement of Sardesai, who continued leveling allegations against the ruling benches. The legislators demanded that Sardesai prove theirs and their relatives’ involvement in the illegal mining.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar intervening on the floor claimed that merely because some of the mining machinery owners were having surnames matching with the BJP legislators, does not mean they are involved.
“I read the list, there is also a mining machinery owner with surname Parsekar and there is one with Rane. That does not mean he is related to us,” the chief minister said referring to Leader of Opposition Pratapsingh Rane.
Tabling the list of mining machinery owners on the floor of the House, Parsekar said the government will make documents like Aadhar Card mandatory while registering the new machineries so that only locals are indulged in the business. “Total 305 machinery owners are registered in the State for carrying out business,” he said.
Sardesai, alleging that non Goans are getting benefit as machinery operators depriving locals, had demanded that the Aadhar Card or voters identification card be made mandatory for their registration just like truck operators.
The Question clubbed with Congress MLA Digambar Kamat, also raised the worry, wherein Chief Minister assured the House that government will ensure that locals get the maximum benefit through iron ore mining business.
