the goan I network
PANAJI
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar wondered aloud what the fuss over the letter he has written to former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa was all about as he furiously defended his letter saying that his letter was "legally perfect" and does not compromise the state's legal stand before the tribunal.
"My letter is perfect legally and I have taken all interests of Goa into consideration. I am the one who fought for Mhadei... the senior advocate who is fighting for us the in Mhadei tribunal has already certified that my letter is legally perfect as far as tribunal arguments are concerned," Parrikar said.
When asked why he was writing a letter to a former BJP Chief Minister at a time of elections whilst at the same time ignoring letters from the sitting chief minister Parrikar said he could write to whoever he wants whenever he wants and was not obliged to write to anyone.
"Why should I respond if I don't want to? Tomorrow you may also write. Who writes the letter, there is no obligation," Parrikar said.
"[The] trigger is, I got a letter from Yeddyurappa. I got a letter from Yeddyurappa, I replied to Yeddyurappa. Who I have to write to... what is the protocol? Why should someone else tell me? I still don't understand. Tomorrow, you may write a letter to me, just for example, can I not reply to you? Yeddyurappa sent me a letter, based on that letter I replied to him, by taking into consideration all interest of the state," Parrikar said.
"This I have written to Yeddyurappa, whom I trust. Why should I write to those who I do not trust? I don't have trust. I not saying about the (Karnataka) government, but those who are running the (Karnataka) government. The same people had said that with respect to Baina that we are evicting Kannada people. When I'm following a high court order, it doesn't matter if the person is Kannada or Marathi only whether it is legal or illegal. This the chief minister should know. In Bangalore, if any illegal construction is demolished that is Kannada people only, right?" Parrikar retorted.
When asked specifically asked whether he was ruling out diversion of water from the Mhadei basin, which is essentially the only grievance Goa holds against Karnataka, Parrikar said: "it is before the tribunal."
"The question is only of, which we have brought an objection to, is the interbasin transfer. This is a deficit basin and therefore interbasin transfer is an issue," Parrikar said.
"I'm saying that is the matter before the tribunal and I have said that without prejudice and subject to the tribunal decision, what does that mean? It means that what is before the tribunal cannot be compromised. If something before the tribunal cannot be compromised then any discussion as suggested by the tribunal can take place provided you have trust in the other side," Parrikar said.
