Parrikar hits out at police for shameful role in drug peddling

Parrikar hits out at police for shameful role in drug peddling
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CANACONA, JAN 8
Hitting out at the police force for stooping to such low levels in the police-drug peddler nexus, Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar has said some of them were even capable of selling off their parents to earn money.
Addressing a massive rally during the concluding two-day IX Lokostav-2011 at Amone-Canacona, Parrikar also took a dig at some politicians involved in mining activities.
Parrikar was originally to preside over the concluding function, but ended up being the chief guest as Jarkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda was reportedly preoccupied at the BJP’s national Guwahati convention and did not turn up.
In his inimitable style, Parrikar raked up the police-drug peddler nexus and miners-politicians nexus.
“Before reaching here, I attended a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), where the main issue was that of mining. I was devastated to see some of the then green mountains in Sanguem taluka now turned to red-hordes of mud,” said Parrikar.
“You Canconkars are lucky. There are nine mining leases in Canacona, but there isn’t a single one operative in this part of the state. In North, even a Police inspector is engaged in operating trucks for mining activities,” he added.
“Sanguem, which was once Goa state’s bowl-of-water is now turned into a mining reject yard. Greed has made politicians more inclined to mining than miners themselves,” remarked the opposition leader.
Commenting on the police force, Parrikar said: “I feel ashamed to talk about the police now, as lately someone caught a PSI on camera selling drugs. I don’t know what they will do next. Some must have already sold even their parents to earn money.”
“Now, someone has come forward with a claim that Goa has gold reserves. I am told that a meeting was immediately chaired in the State, and at least 5-6 ministers/politicians are in a hurry to buy land. They are inquiring into the ‘gold reserves’ in the State, so that they can buy the land,” stated Parrikar.
Earlier, Dr Uday Gaonkar, environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar, local singer Sulaksha Velip and CMC Chairperson Ratnakar Dhuri were felicitated by Parrikar.
In his speech, Poinguinim MLA Ramesh Tawadkar claimed that Canacona could not longer be considered a backward area anymore.
“It is blessed with unmatched richness along its coast, hills and rivers. We are even more blessed because we have no mines in Canacona,” he said.
Sanguem MLA Vasudev Meng Gaonkar, Shiroda MLA Madhav Naik, ZP (Khola) Krishna Velip and Subhash Velingkar were also present as special invitees.
The two-day IX Lokostav-2011 at Amone-Canacona came to an end with an estimated 25,000 people visiting the different stalls filled with traditional artefacts. Various groups and individuals participated in different competitions, including traditional sports.