MARGAO
Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai has said the outcome of the hearing on Mhadei in the Supreme Court is a setback for Goa, with the court not giving relief to the State on any of the pleas made by the Goa government.
Slamming Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for taking the stand that the Supreme Court decision is a step towards protecting Goa’s interest and saving Mhadei, Sardesai said he had predicted that the BJP’s game plan is to ensure that the issue is put in cold storage till Karnataka goes for the Assembly polls before May end.
Justifying his stand that the hearing in the Supreme Court is a setback to Goa, Sardesai pointed out that Goa had approached the Apex Court with a plea to stop all works underway in Karnataka on the Mhadei river diversion. “There is no interim relief granted by the Supreme Court to stop the work, if any. When we went to Karnataka to find out the ground reality, we found work going on day in and out to divert the water” he said.
“We should find out why Goa had gone to the Supreme Court that the court should interfere with the Centre’s nod for the DPR. But, the court said it is not inclined to interfere,” he said.
Saying the BJP is successful in putting the Mhadei issue in cold storage, Sardesai claimed that Sawant is part of the game plan.
Vijai pointed out that Goa had to file an interlocutory application in the Supreme Court on the DPR, which shows that the double-engine government is nothing but a double-engine betrayal.
“The Chief Minister was quick that the outcome in the Supreme Court is a step towards protecting Goa’s interests on Mhadei. I feel it is a step towards the demise of Goa’s interests,” he added.
