PANAJI
The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday launched a frontal attack on both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress for furthering their party interest at the cost of Goa and Goans and termed the Congress support to the ongoing people’s movement against projects as nothing but political opportunism.
AAP Leader Lourenco D’Silva pointed out that Adani got the permission for expanding the berth at MPT when the Congress was in power both at the Centre and in the State.
“Late Manohar Parrikar had, in fact, revealed on the floor of the House a letter dated November 9 addressed by then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat,” he said.
He further pointed out that vide that letter Kamat had stated that Adani had entered into an agreement with MPT and further mentioned that while the work started in May 2010 it was completed in March 2014 and said that while Congress allowed the work to commence, the BJP allowed it to be completed.
“The Congress should first explain to the people of Goa how and why did they give all the permissions to Adani to develop the berth at MPT which was aimed to unload coal brought in from Australia before joining the people’s movement against making Goa a coal hub,” he said.
He accused the Congress on only deceiving the people by saying they are against coal when in reality they not only brought coal into Goa but also paved way for its expansion and development.
“The Congress is equally hand in glove with Adani and it is very possible that after the elections its MLAs may join the BJP lock, stock and barrel,” cautioned Laurenco.
The BJP that came to power in Goa objecting projects are now backing those very projects and helping the promoters to complete them as soon as possible.
“It is indeed an irony that late Manohar who had said double-tracking of railways was for coal transportation when he was in the opposition did a complete U-turn when he became the chief minister,” said Lourenco.
He pointed out that both the national parties namely Congress and BJP talk about Goa and Goan identity only when in opposition but when in ruling obey the commands of their high command which has vested interests or get swayed by the money power of the industrial houses.
Now is the time for the people of Goa to wake up and smell the coffee and recognize their true enemies and show these wolves in sheep clothing the door out of Goan politics, he said.
