PANAJI
Reprimanding its own legislators who joined the anti-coal protests, State BJP President Sadanand Shet Tanavade said that MLAs should stay within respectable limits and should have talks with the Chief Minister and the government to get clarity on the issue.
“I definitely feel that it is wrong on their part. MLAs have to stay within their respectable limits. Law and order are the same for an MLA, a Minister, or common people. So no one should try to break the law and order,” said Tanavade in reply to a question in a press conference.
BJP MLAs, including Water Resources Minister Filipe Neri Ferrao, former Environment Minister Alina Saldanha and Cuncolim MLA Clafasio Dias, have openly joined the anti-coal agitations. Some of these MLAs also complaint about bad treatment by police to them while protesting.
“Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has categorically stated that he is not for increasing coal handling in Goa and government efforts are there to minimise it. BJP party also has similar views,” added Tanavade.
Tanavade tried to make BJP stand clear that the party does not support the view to increasing coal handling in the State and the party endorses the view of the Chief Minister who has already said that coal handling has to be minimised.
He said the common people can protest or try to organise bandh but the responsible ruling party MLA should tell the government or should speak to the Chief Minister and no one without reason should try to take law and order in their hand.
Tanavade appealed that people should have faith in the Chief Minister and he should be given time to reduce coal handling in the State.
“The Chief Minister has told that he will try to reduce coal handling by 50 per cent. Nothing can be done in one day. We should try to give him time for this,” said Tanavade adding that the Chief Minister has spoken to the central minister in this regard.
Tanavade claimed that once the coal issue is solved all other agitations will stop.
Stating that governance is a continuous process, coal handling which was given permission during Congress tenure cannot be stopped immediately.
Tanavade justified the action by police against protesting MLAs along with the protestors saying that the law is the same for all.
