PANAJI
Immediate demolition of the controversial illegal structure at Old Goa by the Goa government is an unreasonable demand, state Bharatiya Janata Party president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said on Thursday, saying the government cannot just order demolition at will and has to follow due processes of law.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji, Tanavade also said that the owner of the property, which was later sold to BJP national spokesperson Shaina NC's realtor husband Manish Munot and Suraj Lotlikar -- an office bearer of the Goa Forward party -- should also be questioned in the affair, which appears to be peaking ahead of the Goa assembly polls.
"The government cannot just demolish something. There is a law. According to my information, the licence has been withdrawn by the panchayat. How should the government go and demolish it? The concerned department has the authority. What can the government do on this issue? If a concerned department has withdrawn permission then someone should go to court and seek a demolition order. What can we do about it?" Tanavade said.
"If the panchayat has made a mistake, they should hold the panchayat responsible. Who has sold the property? Some Pinto has sold it. He has to be asked, how was the land sold? If the structure is illegal, then there is a procedure for demolition, which they should request the concerned authority for. How can the government do it?" he said.
The state BJP president also said that the BJP government in Goa had no affinity to the promoters of the project.
"We have no role. The BJP has been targeted by these agitations. There is no connection with the BJP," he also said.
