MARGAO
Sounding a warning that those who support the Karnataka government will be considered as the enemies of Goa, the Save Mhadei, Save Goa movement on Saturday has warned Goa BJP leaders they will be labelled as traitors if they dare go to Karnataka to support the party in the ensuing Assembly election.
Expressing doubts over the government’s intention in protecting the interests of Goa on Mhadei, the movement, however, said it has full faith and trust in the people of Goa that they will all join hands to stop diversion of river Mhadei by Karnataka.
The movement has announced public meetings which will kick start by February month end across the State before the final plan of action is chalked out and implemented to stop diversion of waters.
Addressing the media, Prashant Naik said the people of Goa now see the BJP government in Karnataka as the enemy of Goa since the government is hell bent in diverting the Mhadei river water for irrigation as evident by the budgetary allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the Kalasa-Bhandura irrigation project. “In this situation, anyone who is supporting the BJP Karnataka government will also be considered the enemy of Goa”, he said, adding “if the BJP leaders from Goa dare go to Karnataka to drum up support for the party in the ensuing Assembly polls, they will be publicly labelled as traitors of Goa. We will put up the posters of these leaders for selling Goa and its interests to Karnataka.”
He said the people of Goa cannot afford to depend on the Goa government to protect the interests of the state on Mhadei after the Supreme Court declined to stay the DRP nod given to Karnataka.
Citing the recently letter written by the Union Jal Shakti ministry to the Chinchinim village Panchayat stating that the DRP nod to Karnataka has been found technically acceptable, Naik said this only goes to show the double standards of the BJP government on Mhadei. “The double engine BJP government has only helped Karnataka and not Goa. Our government has failed to protect the interests of Goa”, he charged.
Complimenting the Chinchinim village Panchayat headed by Sarpanch Valentino Barretto for sending a resolution to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry much before the BJP leadership urged the Panchayat and Municipalities to take resolutions on Mhadei, Naik said work done by the Chinchinim panchayat has only left the Centre and the Goa government exposed over the DPR nod.
Pointing out that a month has passed since the Save Mhadei, Save Goa movement held its meeting at Sanquelim on January 16 last on Mhadei, Naik said that nothing positive has come from the government till date. He said the prevailing situation has left the people of Goa with no option than to intensify the ongoing movement and take the battle to the logical conclusion.
“Bhagat Singh had once thundered that one needs to throw bombs to make the government hear the cries of the people. We are not saying that bombs will be hurled, but the people of Goa will do something that would help open the eyes and ears of the Goa government,” he warned.
Naik along with members Pratima Coutinho, Anthony D’Silva and Vikas Bhagat has called upon the people of Goa to remain vigilant and alert, saying the central government has been found totally supporting the Karnataka government which would starve the people of Goa of water.
