MARGAO
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on Tuesday said that the insult to the River Navigation Department Minister Subhash Faldesai is a reflection of the Major Port Act of the BJP government.
He further said the draft Jetty policy “ 2022 of the Tourism Department is also a step towards a disaster of Goa, saying it is part of the BJP government’s conspiracy to hand over beautiful Goa to the crony club of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He demanded the government must listen to the emotions and sentiments of the people, saying it is the NGOs and activists who have struggled to protect Goa and it is our duty to support them.
“It is the Congress which said “no” to the nationalisation of rivers in Goa. But, BJP government said “yes” to it. Insult to the River Navigation Minister Subhash Phaldessai is a reflection of the Major Port Act of the BJP government. The draft Jetty policy is a step towards disaster,” Yuri asserted.
He was reacting to the statement made by the River Navigation Minister Subhash Phaldessai, wherein the minister had claimed that he was not taken into confidence by the Mormugao Port Authority and New Mangalore Port Authority regarding the inauguration of the Solar Boat built by the Goa government at a cost of Rs. 3.97 crores.
“The act of the port authorities makes it loud and clear that the Goa government has lost complete control over the rivers of Goa, and the land coming under the jurisdiction of port authorities. It is the BJP government in 2015, headed by then chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar which overruled the denial of the then Congress government in 2011 headed by then chief minister Digambar Kamat to nationalise rivers in Goa,” he said.
Yuri added: “The BJP government at the Centre imposed the Major Port Act on Goa against the strong opposition of the people. The results of both these anti-Goa decisions are now visible. Now, they have insulted the Minister, tomorrow they will ignore the people”.
Saying the Congress had raised timely alarms against anti-Goa policies of the BJP government, the Opposition Leader warned: “We launched various agitations and staged protests to oppose the Major Ports Act in the Assembly and outside. Unfortunately, the successive BJP governments have bulldozed the sentiments of the people of Goa. If the Goans don’t rise now, we will face disaster very soon.”
