the goan I network
PANAJI
Stating that if the House is in session, it would definitely try and pass a no-confidence motion against the government, the Opposition on Saturday questioned on which side IT Minister Rohan Khaunte would be on, if the situation arose.
“If a no confidence motion is passed, will the IT Minister be sitting on the government bench or the Opposition bench?” asked Congress spokesperson Shankar Phadte.
The Congress slammed the IT Minister for speaking out against his own government, pointing out that that was the job of the Opposition.
“Against whom is Khaunte revolting, coming out against his own CM? There’s something known as collective responsibility. Khaunte is either with the government or against it. He can’t speak out against the government and continue to hold on to his post,” said Phadte.
Meanwhile, the Congress also said that Khaunte was only trying to appease the people of Porvorim by making statements against the PWD Minister.
“Khaunte is equally responsible for what’s happening. Writing a letter to the PWD Minister doesn’t cut it,” said the Congress spokesman.
Meanwhile, Congress North District President Vijai Bhike said that if the people of Chimbel were opposing the IT Park, then the Congress would stand behind it.
“The government needs to listen to the people. If the IT Park is for the people, but the people do not want it, the government needs to scrap the project,” said Bhike.
He also informed that Santa Cruz MLA Tony Fernandes, and other party workers would back the people of Chimbel.
Bhike went on to say that the government was trying to silence whoever opposed them by either getting people beat up, or by policemen not registering the cases that activists were trying to register at the police station.
“The Home Ministry is going to the dogs, while the CM is sitting at home quietly watching movies. It is unacceptable for Khaunte to take the law into his hands,” said Bhike.
The Congress also said that if the Chimbel IT Park is being opposed, then the government should use the land acquired in Dona Paula for the IT Park.
“How long is the proposed IT park taking to come up?” questioned Bhike. “IT graduates will retire by the time this park is built,” he said.
IT Minister Rohan Khaunte had said earlier on Saturday morning at a function, that locals needed to give the government a chance to implement its proposed projects.
“If we don’t do anything, people point fingers that the government is not doing anything. If the government tries to deliver, people take to the streets because the environment is getting destroyed, without even studying the government’s proposal,” said Khaunte.
