PANJIM: Independent MLAs on Saturday warned MLAs of the BJP that they will be beaten up by people with slippers for misguiding the people of Goa over the mining loot carried out by them and for delay in developmental works.
Addressing the media, Independent MLAs Vijai Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal said that resumption of mining has not benefited the people but only the BJP MLAs from the mining belt.
“BJP MLAs are earning more than the people who have bought the e-auctioned ore. The general public who are dependent on mining are still on the streets. The people of Goa will beat them will slippers when they will go to beg for votes for the next Assembly elections,” Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai said.
The group of three MLAs also said that the government and BJP MLAs are targeting Goa Foundation so as to misguide the people and divert the attention of the mining dependent people as the government has failed to tackle mining resumption.
Sardesai demanded a probe into the assets of the BJP MLAs from the mining belt instead of a probe into the funding of Goa Foundation. He charged the BJP MLAs of accepting commission in cash from ore handlers for transporting ore at Rs 1 per kilometer per tonne. He named MLAs Pramod Sawant and Ganesh Gaonkar for providing machinery to mining companies where the dependent people who own machines have them lying in the mud.
Sardesai said the government and All Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association should ensure that the prefixed rates will be provided to truck owners transporting ore. The rate, fixed by the government to transport ore, is not paid to truckers Sardesai said, which was the reason for the violence on Friday evening at Pale, he added.
“It is the responsibility of the government to give a good rate to truck owners who have faced hardship following the closure of mining in the State,” Khaunte said.
Khanute and Sawal also charged the government for confusing and misguiding people over the mining issue.
