Goa Forward Party and Independent MLAs turned Ministers on Monday took a dig at the Congress accusing them of “copying” the protest against nationalisation of rivers, which was initially theirs.
Ministers – Vijai Sardesai and Rohan Khaunte – also alleged that the opposition was falling prey to the social media campaign against the project and thereby misleading the public.
“I feels what the Congress MLAs are speaking is after thoughts. Rohan and I had moved a calling attention motion which was not supported by any Congress MLA during the Parsekar tenure. Secondly, former Chief Minister Parsekar surrendered. There was no role to Captain of Ports in the previous draft only MPT and Inland Waterways of India had say and that is the reason we opposed nationalisation,” Sardesai said.
“We created this issue by coming out on the streets and seeing that success rate, Congress has copied us and has just jumped on the bandwagon,” Sardesai said.
He demanded that the dredged rivers should not be used for coal transportation and that all possible steps be taken in the interest of fishermen. “River banks and beds should be with the State government and any State agency or CoP should be the main authority in the MoU,” Sardesai demanded.
Khaunte said the Chief Minister had called for a stakeholders meeting. “During the discussion only three (MLAs) spoke. This shows the interest of the opposition. This was a place to discuss and the forum to sort out the issues along with the people. I doubt if the Congress MLAs have read the draft MoU, I have actually gone through this MoU as we had apprehensions about this,” Khaunte said.
He further said that the reason for the need of nationalisation of rivers has already been revealed and that he strongly believes that dredging is necessary and funds are needed from the Centre for it. “In my constituency the fishermen told me that a thick layer has been formed in the river which was not there earlier. This MoU needs to be signed in the interest of the State and its future prospects,” he added.
