Goa Forward President Vijai Sardesai speaks to reporters at the party's office in Panaji on Saturday.
PANAJI
Stating that former civil supplies director Siddhivinayak Naik has been made a scapegoat, Goa Forward President Vijai Sardesai said his party has written to the Prime Minister seeking appointment of a central agency to independently investigate the criminal wastage of tur dal and take action against all involved including the Chief Minister and then civil supplies minister.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji on Saturday, Sardesai said the decision to import tur dal was taken by the then Cabinet members and hence, everybody should be equally held responsible.
“Siddhivinayak has been made a scapegoat as he was suspended without proper inquiry. But the actual culprits are the then civil supplies minister and the Chief Minister as the decision to procure the tur dal was taken by the Cabinet,” he stated.
“As much as 408 tonnes of tur dal was ordered, of which only 167 tonnes were distributed and the rest 241 tonnes remained in the godown for one-and-half years. Why didn't the minister bother to even know whether it was distributed or not?” Sardesai posed and opined that by suspending one officer, the involvement of the government cannot be overlooked.
“We have written a letter to the Prime Minister to appoint a central agency to independently investigate the criminal wastage of the tur dal in which the entire cabinet involved should be probed,” he said and hoped that the PM would initiate action.
“In the Zuari land scam, a common citizen wrote to PM and action was taken. Similarly, we are hoping that the PM will act in this matter too,” Sardesai informed.
Further, he stated that the tur dal fiasco points to the total failure of Goa's Public Distribution System (PDS), as the Centre's report shows that the State ranks last in the ranking index under National Food Security Act (NFSA).
“It is a shame for Goa. The CM says that he would make the State a logistic hub but is unable to provide logistic for food security of poor in the State. Also, the government is not interested in implementing provisions under the NFSA and the question arises whether the PDS failure is because of one officer,” Sardesai quipped.
Cong too demand action against Gaude, SawantPANAJI: Even as Goa Forward wrote to PM Narendra Modi seeking central probe into the tur dal fiasco, the Congress too has demanded that action be taken against the then civil supplies minister Govind Gaude as well as the then Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji on Saturday, Congress leader Amarnath Panjikar said, “Suspending only the then civil supplies director Siddhivinayak Naik will not help as action should also be taken against then Civil Supplies Minister Govind Gaude as well as the then Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.”
“These two are also equally responsible and Naik has been made a scapegoat,” Panjikar stated and informed that a RTI application has been filed on the issue after which we will come out with more expose.
