VASCO: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday claimed that he can produce two letters written by the Congress in 2007 and in 2009 stating they have ‘no objection’ to the Mhadei issue.
He was responding to allegations made by the Congress in Goa that the Chief Minister has gone against the interests of Goa by taking a decision to allow Karnataka to lift water of River Mhadei when the matter is pending before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal.
“Everyone has seen my letter and why should I reply after that? I don’t have to tell Congress what I intend to do. In fact I can show Congress having written letters in the year 2007 and 2009 saying ‘no objection’. I brought the matter back before the court and we are fighting for it,” Parrikar said on the sidelines on an inspection at Sancoale on Friday evening.
“Congress speaks anything, recently they were talking about river as well as coal and I proved in the Assembly that permissions were given for coal during the Congress tenure. If you or they (Congress) want I can show letters which they (Congress) have issued for ‘no Objection’, whereas what I have written is self explanatory as it is very clear that we are ready to talk about drinking water within the parameters of the tribunal. Why should there be further explanation to it,” Parrikar said.
On Thursday, Parrikar had written to BJP Karnataka chief B S Yedyurappa stating that in principle Goa will not oppose any reasonable and justified quantum of water meant to be utilised for drinking. The letter came following the intervention of the BJP central leadership in the Mhadei dispute.
The letter further stated that on humanitarian grounds Goa is willing to consider the request to work out an amicable settlement strictly restricted to drinking water only to the drought-prone areas.
