the goan I network
PANAJI
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar carried out his threat and released to the public the communication between the state and Central government to prove that the State government was indeed in the loop over handing over heritage monuments to private parties for their upkeep.
Addressing a press conference Girish said that the State government was fully aware of the scheme under which technological interventions, private investment and infrastructural development will be the focus for development of important heritage and tourist sites across India. While disclosing this on Sunday along with the documentary proof, the newly elected State Congress chief Girish Chodankar, alleged that there were exchange of letters between the Central government and the Directorate of Tourism handled by State tourism minister Manohar alias Babu Ajgaonkar as well as Directorate of Archives and Archaeology falling under the State Archives minister, Vijai Sardesai.
Girish Chodankar presented documents as evidence regarding this disclosure in a press conference on Sunday. Both these ministers, tourism minister Babu Ajgaonkar as well as the archives minister Vijai Sardesai had said that they were unaware of any such scheme regarding the Central government scheme of adoption of touristic places and heritage sites. Girish Chodankar had given two days’ time for both these ministers to apologise to the public or else he would disclose all the facts regarding this scheme. The duo upon failing to apologise publicly, Chodankar called for a press conference on Sunday and presented the documents of evidence, thus uncovering the false claims by these two ministers.
The Central government had sent a letter regarding the scheme to the chief minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar on January 29, 2018. Since the subject was related to tourism and archaeology departments, both these departments were aware of the said letter. Manohar alias Babu Ajgaonkar had assured the Central tourism minister K J Alfonso via his letter dated March 29, 2018 that the State government will be fully supporting the Central government on this scheme. Not only this, Babu Ajgaonkar had called for the list of tourism and heritage sites from State tourism department and State archaeological department and submitted this list to the Central government. Girish Chodankar submitted the proof of these letters in the press conference.
The BJP regional chief and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar too, had claimed that the State of Goa as well as he himself, were not aware of any such scheme. Tendulkar had made mockery of the issue saying that he awaits the proofs from Girish Chodankar. In Lok Sabha, on March 19, 2018 Central government, while answering a starred ques
