THE GOAN NETWORK
VASCO
Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha on Saturday said that she was shocked Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) President Angelo Rodrigues used outright lies to make a statement against her. Saldanha said that she was shocked to read reports that Saldanha says she cannot help GRE made by GRE President Agnelo Rodrigues. “This statement by Rodrigues is an outright lie as I have not exchanged a single word with this Ramponkar for at least the last four years nor has he come to my office. Rodrigues claims GRE got me elected twice. He obviously does not know what he speaks and is probably a habitual liar or else he would have known that the entire Cortalim constituency is aware of the fact that he canvassed against me during the last 2017 elections. Olencio Simoes, the General Secretary of GRE, contested as AAP candidate and GRE supported him, but whether Agnelo Rodrigues also did is a question mark that many ask till date."said Saldanha "As far as getting me elected in 2012, I was elected unopposed and the reason for this is known by the people of the state of Goa.When the Ramponkars landed in jail due to their agitation against the use of LED lights, after receiving frantic calls from Olencio Simoes, I rushed to Panjim to ensure their release and was there well past midnight. I also bailed out their boats including Rodrigues's boats which were confiscated.Less than nine months ago, when the Ramponkars came to my office along with Camilo D`Souza regarding the issue of construction of row villas in in an eco-sensitive area, in the village of Velsao, I went out of my way to assist them and today the construction is stopped as per the law."said an angry Saldanha "It is a fact that I am a BJP legislator but BJP has never curtailed my freedom in any way and I have expressed my views on CRZ Notification 2018 to MoEF way back in June, 2018 even though not a single Ramponkar had approached me with the issue. Further, my views on CRZ Notification 2018 were also highlighted by local dailies in Goa in December, 2018 where I clearly said that the notification is not feasible for the tiny state of Goa.
I don’t need the likes of Agnelo Rodrigues to tell me what I should do. The memory of late Matanhy Saldanha guides me every step of the way. It is high time Agnelo Rodrigues stops fooling the people with his lies.” concluded Saldanha.
