TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: A day after Department of Mines and Geology filed a complaint regarding illegal mining with the Crime Branch, the Congress Saturday alleged the government is fooling Goans.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, CLP spokesman Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco expressed shock since the complaint was filed based on Justice M B Shah Commission’s findings on illegal mining, which Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar does not agree to.
“It is shocking to see Parrikar sending and filing a complaint with the Crime Branch on the basis of Shah Report. Few days back he had said the Shah Commission is of no consequences in the Supreme Court,” he said.
“Why is Parrikar trying to fool the people of Goa,” he questioned. Interestingly, Reginaldo concedes he hasn’t read the fresh complaint with the Crime Branch and neither the complete Shah Commission Report.
The Curtorim MLA also stated that filing of cases will further delay the process of restarting the mining activity in the State. He alleged the move by the government is to garner votes for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
“We welcome the complaint but let the SC take a decision because it is seized of the matter. There is no need to go to different fora. This will further delay the restarting of mines in the state,” he added.
The Congress member leader demanded that the State government file affidavit in the SC asking for criminal prosecution of all the mining companies and mine owners and the politicians involved illegal mining.
Reginaldo admitted the Congress party lost the 2012 State Assembly elections because of illegal mining. “He (Parrikar) got elected because the Opposition made a big noise about rampant illegal mining,” he said responding to a question.
Asked whether Congress was involved or illegal mining existed during the past regime, he replied, “If there is any illegal mining, the whole case should be investigated. But why is Parrikar not doing proper justification to what allegations he had made…”
The complaint filed by Mines Director Prasanna Acharya, which runs into 1000-odd paged is based on reports of Central Empowered Committee (CEC), Justice M B Shah Commission and Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The case is yet to be registered as a team of police officers are studying the documents.
