Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa Forward Party (GFP) Chief Vijai Sardesai appealed on the floor of the House to Speaker Rajesh Patnekar to hold discussion on coal first, before conducting any other business in the Assembly. The Fatorda MLA said that if there is a need to save Goa for future generations, ‘we should say no to coal today’.
Sardesai said when the whole of Goa is burning on this issue, there is not a single word mentioned by the Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari in his customary address.
Saying that he had just glanced through the Governor’s speech and that there is not a single word on coal, he said, “People have died in Vasco due to this coal, even a couple of MLAs from the treasury benches have objected to the coal handling and its transportation in the State. But the government just wants to bulldoze the voice of the opposition and of the people of Goa.”
Sardesai further said that it is clearly evident now that the government is holding the Assembly session just for the sake of it.
“There is no justifiable reason why the Governor stopped his speech, said Sardesai, while adding that the government has been exposed completely on the floor of the house and was not able to deliver what it had in its mind.
Sardesai also stated that the time has come for Goans to get re-liberated from the coal-inization of Goa and reiterated that GFP along with the other opposition would expose the government on the floor of the house.
Speaking to the media later on, Sardesai added, “I do not represent the governor, I represent the people of Goa. This session is a farce, for IFFI both the Governor and the CM could speak – but on important matters such as COVID-19, Mollem, coal and online exams – this government has gone silent.”
The GFP chief further stated that the delayed winter session is a mockery, and the government is abusing the excuse of COVID-19.
The Opposition MLA also asked why there was not a single word on the coal issue. “On one side the government is celebrating the 60th year of Goa’s liberation and on the other side, it is suppressing the voice of those who have come together to Save Goa now,” he said.
