TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Congress has castigated the ruling coalition and termed it as being ‘useless’ for getting the State knotted in a number of problems. Member of Parliament Francisco Sardinha told a press conference Saturday that Goa government has failed in its responsibilities as the State is presently steeped in various problems like stoppage of mining operations, resulting in financial loss and unemployment, hike in diesel prices, beef shortage, et al.
“This government is useless. People never thought this government will be so useless…God give wisdom to Chief Minister (Manohar Parrikar) to function in the interest of Goans,” he said.
Commenting on the mining issue, the Congress leader said he had taken a representation of aggrieved mining dependent people to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram in New Delhi pressing for their demand for immediate resumption of legal mining in Goa.
“All were sympathetic…Lets hope for the best and see what crops up in near future. The ball is in Supreme Court’s court. Goa government has to file good and right affidavit, and engage a good counsel. The remaining will be done by the Centre,” he said hoping the matter would be settled by July when the next hearing on the PIL comes up before the Supreme Court.
Sardinha questioned the wisdom of the Goa government for hiking the diesel price. He said Goa is the only State in the country where diesel is costlier than petrol.
Meanwhile, with two months remaining for the election of the Goa Pradesh Youth Congress (GPYC), the party’s youth wing launched its membership drive Saturday with Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Subhash Shirodkar releasing the membership forms in the presence of other national and state members including the present GPYC President Pratima Coutinho.
This is the second phase of the election to the committee which will have years term. Those enrolling by 5pm of June 5 will be eligible to participate in the ensuing election while those enrolling thereafter will not be able to vote, though they will become members.
Coutinho said they expect 10,000 new members, in addition to the existing 25,000 members.
