Team Herald
PANJIM: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it strongly believes that all decisions in Goa should be made by Goans, for Goans and Goa is not a colony of the Centre or other BJP States. Goans, not New Delhi will decide the future of Goa.
AAP spokesperson Surel Tilve said for the past few months Goans have been relentlessly fighting against all the steps that the Dr Pramod Sawant government has taken to benefit others.
“However, the Dr Sawant government has turned a deaf ear to the voices of lakhs of Goans. AAP wants to ask the Goan government — has any of these decisions been made with the consent of Goans? Why are the voices of Goans not important for you? Why is the business interest of one business group more important than the voice of lakhs of ordinary Goans? Who has the first right on the forests, environment and resources of Goa — Goans or Adanis? Why has the Chief Minister made Goa subservient to the interests of the Central Government,” he questioned.
He stated that for a Goenkar, it is impossible to get their local roads fixed, but the government wants to make a multi-lane highway just to benefit the transportation of coal.
“Why were the people of Goa not consulted on this? Goans still don’t have 24/7 electricity but to aid businesses, high tension wires are being put up on top of people’s houses and villages directly causing harm to them. The government has not taken any serious steps to start sustainable mining which is important for creating jobs for Goans, but they are willing to do whatever Adanis want in Goa,” he asked.
“What is more important to Sawant? Ordinary Goans or people who donate to his party? Why has he not stood up for the rights and interests of Goans in front of the Central Government? It’s because he is a mere puppet in the hands of the Centre only looking after the interest of industrialists,” Tilve charged.
“Goan lives don’t matter to Sawant. The current government wants to make Goa a coal hub in India and use Goa’s port for Adani coal that will be shipped across India. The costs that Goans will have to bear for this are very high,” he added.
