TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Maintaining a tough posture and conveying a message loud and clear that Goa cannot be bullied by anyone, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday warned that Goa is free to retaliate in the event the states concerned do not handle any law and order problem arising out of the threat held out by transporters to stop transportation of goods to Goa.
Saying that Goans are not wearing bangles, Parrikar reminded that petroleum products move to these states from Goa and the State is free to retaliate.
“All trucks carrying vegetables and other goods will come to Goa. No one should harbour any doubt. It is for the concerned state governments to take care of law and order problem. It’s not that we are wearing bangles. Mind you, petroleum products move into these states from Goa. If that state does not maintain law and order, sorry, Goa is free to retaliate”, Parrikar warned during an interaction with newsmen during his visit to the district Collectorate here on Friday.
He demanded to know how the transporters can tell any state government how to manage its taxes. “Who is the transport lobby association from Kholapur to tell me how to go about the taxation in my State. I am not going to listen to Tom, Dick and Harry from Kholapur on the taxes I should decide in Goa”, he asserted.
When newsmen drew his attention to threats held out by the transport lobby to stop transportation of goods from Saturday, Parrikar shot back “if they don’t want to send the trucks, let them not send. We will not force anyone. I can’t force anyone. If someone doesn’t want to send their trucks, there is no problem. We will make all necessary arrangements”, he said.
Replying to a question, Parrikar said that Goans need not worry about the availability of vegetables, saying the government would take care of the requirements. He asserted that local vegetable growers will receive a big boost if these transporters do not transport vegetables from across the borders. “There’s a bumper Brinjal production in the State. Our production of vegetables would also go up if the situation continues”, he added.
Asserting that Goa is a State, Parrikar demanded to know whether Goa had at anytime commented on taxes imposed in Maharashtra vis-à-vis octroi, professional and sales tax or VAT which is much higher in Goa. “Have we at any time demanded that other states also reduce VAT on petrol and diesel”, he questioned.
The Chief Minister also lashed out at certain vernacular dailies headquartered in Kholapur, warning them that the government can decide about advertisements to these newspapers.
“We fail to understand why the media is giving them so much importance. Is it because one of them is headquartered in Kholapur? I can decide about their advertisements. The media has to look after the interest of the State. Goa cannot be bullied”, he warned.
