On the eve of Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar’s visit to the commercial capital to drum up support for the BJP-backed candidates, Fatorda MLA and convenor of Fatorda Forward panel, Vijai Sardesai, posed 10 questions to the former chief minister over the BJP government’s failure to address the problems plaguing the city for the last three years and half.
Addressing the media, Sardesai demanded to know the status of the promise made by Parrikar on 10 October, 2014 stating that the services of the Spain-based consultant, LKS India Pvt. Ltd, for the Panaji master plan would be extended for drawing up a master plan for Margao and Fatorda. He also sought to know the fate of the Rs 50 crore financial package promised to Margao Municipal councillors to shift sides just before the Lok Sabha elections.
“How is it that the political musical chairs in MMC coincided with the BJP government coming to power in the State with MMC councillors conveniently switching sides for ‘development’”? he asked, while seeking to know “on whose side was the government when the hard-working and efficient Chief Officer Naveen S L was summarily transferred just when revenue collection in MMC had begun in right earnest.”
The legislator also sought to know the reasons for the inordinate delay in granting permissions for the landfill site at Sonsodo, as well as the fate of the promise of zero tolerance to corruption. He claimed that in reality the "tolerance to corruption has touched 100%" which has percolated to the civic level.
“Who has monitored the extensive manipulation in the delimitation and reservation processes to the Municipal elections in the state? What has happened to the district hospital that is lying in ruins and the modern bus terminus which has been abandoned, and whether this is a part of a deliberate agenda to neglect Salcete and Margao in particular?” he further asked.
Seeking to know why Panaji was preferred to Margao for the Smart City Project by the State and Central BJP leaders, Sardesai further questioned as to whether the current CM is bent on making gambling the principle industry and mainstay of the Goan economy by equating casinos with matka, while further adding that "is this what prompted the Chief Minister to himself visit a matka bookie who is also a much in demand Karyakarta of the BJP."
He said unless the Defense Minister and his Chief Minister reply to these questions, Madgavkars will only think that the BJP bigwigs are descending the city only to fool the people during election time.
The Fatorda MLA also took exception to the stand adopted by NGO United Goans Foundation to support certain candidates contesting the Margao civic body, demanding to know whether the NGO is a 'B' team of the BJP.
“This NGO was till yesterday fighting for the environment, but is now batting for politicians,” he alleged.
