MAPUSA
Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo on Monday refused to believe that the BJP was behind the “personal attack” against him but was sure that a minister was targeting him and his family to defame them.
Lobo also said that changing the ODPs and Regional Plan at the whims and fancies of a minister will send a wrong signal to the businessmen and investors in Goa.
“There is no possibility of BJP targeting me. But definitely, somebody is targeting me. That is why an FIR has been filed against me. He is acting on somebody’s behalf. Something is seriously wrong,” Lobo said.
The Leader of Opposition was addressing the media clarifying his position vis-Ã -vis a tweet posted by TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane that an FIR has been filed against Congress MLA Michael Lobo and his wife for filling of land and tree cutting in Parra.
Lobo informed that the area for which he and his wife were being implicated for filling of land was a field and they were developing it for agriculture purposes, to grow vegetables.
He said the minister was seeking political revenge to defame him and his family and show them in poor light.
He further said that the minister’s warning to suspend and file FIR against TCP officials was only to threaten them and compel them (officials) to file a complaint/FIR against him (Lobo).
“He has put the gun on their (officials) heads so that they file an FIR against me. He has used the TCP officers against me,” he said.
According to the Leader of Opposition, if at all the minister feels there were some irregularities in the ODP/Regional Plan, he can keep those survey numbers on hold.
“You cannot scrap the whole ODP/Regional Plan and ask them to make a new ODP. This is nothing but total abuse of power. Who has signed those plans? Has not the chief town planner signed the ODPs? Has not the Secretary of TCP signed the plans?” he asked.
Lobo also said that the TCP minister was targeting the businessmen and tourism stakeholders by calling them the land mafia.
“If someone has taken permissions and is doing work then what has Rane has got to do with it? What signal are you sending to the businessmen in Goa and those from outside? That you have to come and meet the minister first and settle him first?” he queried.
Lobo said that he will soon meet the chief minister and tell him what was happening was wrong and should not happen in a democracy.
