MARGAO
The Opposition Congress appears set to raise the mega jobs-for-cash scam in Goa during the forthcoming Winter session of Parliament, with South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes asserting that the buck in the scam stops at the highest office in Goa.
He said the Centre should have taken cognisance of the jobs-for-cash scam in Goa and dismissed the government but seemed content with arresting the small players.
Terming the statement made by South Goa Superintendent of Police, Sunita Sawant, as preposterous ” that politicians are not involved in the scam ” the MP further stated that the people of Goa have begun to wonder what interest the district police chief has in giving politicians a clean chit in the matter.
Captain Viriato made no bones about the fact that the Congress party leadership will certainly strategise on how to raise the jobs-for-cash scam in the forthcoming session of Parliament, beginning on November 25. “Certainly, the jobs-for-cash scam will feature in Parliament. The Congress will strategise on how to raise the issue when both the Centre and Goa are being ruled by the double-engine government,” he said.
Reiterating that the police have only arrested the small players in the jobs-for-cash scam, Viriato underscored the need to expose the mastermind behind the scam. “Everyone knows who the mastermind is, but the collection agents are being arrested,” he said.
Expressing unhappiness over the South SP’s statement that no politicians are involved in the scam, Viriato reminded that the Supreme Court had once termed the CBI as a 'caged parrot'. “It is apparent that the police have succumbed to political pressure. We will expose the government, or our youth will never get justice,” he added.
Meanwhile, Captain Viriato appealed to all activists to put aside their differences and work together to save Goa from destruction. The South Goa MP, Captain Viriato Fernandes, on Monday regretted that the issues among the activists were due to misunderstandings.
He further clarified that he had never stated that activists had taken money to make statements, explaining that his statement was directed at those who were hired to attack him and the activists for opposing the mega housing projects.
He also reiterated that the battle against the double-tracking project will continue, as the project is being executed to transport coal from Mormugao Port.
