PANJIM: The expectations of many in the anti BJP opposition space in Goa, of a grand alliance got a boost with opposition MLAs cutting across political affiliations vowed to corner the BJP-led government in the upcoming Budget Session of the State Legislative Assembly beginning on Monday. The opposition MLAs claimed that the Budget 2016-17 would be nothing but “publicity hype” ahead of the 2017 Assembly election.
The legislators, including Congress’ Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Vishwajit Rane, expelled Congress MLA Atanasio Monserrate and Independents Vijai Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal decided to adopt a joint strategy to expose the Laxmikant Parsekar government. In a strategic move, the leaders managed to get their questions listed in the first five, and intend to expose some major scams of the government including the much-debated beach cleaning. Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, who initially planned attend the press conference did not turn up at the last moment.
“The budget that will be presented in the Assembly on March 16 will be just hype and publicity oriented. People’s aspirations will be missing,” Sardesai said on Saturday in the presence of the other MLAs.
The legislators propose to attack the government on issues like the beach cleaning scam, IFFI scam, Investment Promotion Board, Regional Plan, Outline Development Plan, casino shifting, jobs, IT habitat, health sector, declassification of coconut tree, etc.
The MLAs are also moving a private member’s bill for protection of coconut tree and a resolution on employment to Goan youth.
MLAs present criticised the Goa governor’s act of giving her assent to the bill which classified coconut tree as a grass will finish 50 per cent of the green cover in the State. “The Government has done everything that was never mentioned in the Budget and whatever is mentioned in the Budget continues to remain as Budget documents,” Sardesai said.
The legislators also criticised the government for giving lesser importance to the widely spread monkey fever disease in the State which, they said, has claimed seven lives.
“This government has totally failed in its duty to control the disease. People from my constituency are dying and the government has not taken any action,” Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane, representing Valpoi constituency, said, demanding the resignation of Health Minister Francis D’Souza.
Independent Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte alleged that the government has been backing illegalities in the beach cleaning scam. “If the law is equal for everyone then the government should investigate the beach cleaning scam which runs into crores of rupees. The government is turning a blind eye to it,” Khaunte said. The MLA had raised the issue during the last Assembly session.
Babush Monserrate said the government has indulged in a fraud by awarding a consultancy of Rs 200 crore to construct a road linking Miramar and Donapaula. He demanded an investigation in the project. “With that much of money a bridge across Zuari river could have been constructed. These frauds need to be investigated by independent agencies and responsibilities should be fixed,” he said.
