MARGAO
Saying the government has proposed the third district in Goa after the BJP’s defeat in South Goa in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes on Wednesday wondered why Sattari and Sanquelim are not part of the third district.
“I fail to understand the rationale and logic behind proposing the third district for Goa. May be the BJP is worried after the 2024 Lok Sabha defeat in South Goa. May be they think they will ask get one more Lok Sabha seat after Goa gets the third district”, he told the media.
Saying the proposal for the third district appears politically driven, the South Goa MP questioned how come the government has not asked the people of the talukas who will be part of the third district their say on the issue.
“Has the government made any study on the proposal to find out the impact of the proposal on the people. Will the government invite suggestions and objections from the people on the third district. Wil the issue be discussed and deliberated at the Panchayats and gram sabha”, he demanded to know.
Meanwhile, the South Goa MP said the anti-coal activists, waging a sustained battle against double tracking project, will soon come out with a new strategy to stop the ill-conceived plan to make Goa a coal hub. “We have discussed about a new strategy which is presently under wraps, we will not be cowed down by government’s pressure tactics”, he warned.
Slamming the government by trying to cause delay in the trial of activists charged by the Police in the historic 2020 Chandor midnight agitation case, Viriato said the government has realised after four years that they forget to attach the extracts of the station diary to the charge sheet and to record the statements of some officials.
“The government is playing some games to get the trial delayed. But, we feel happy that the matter has reached the trial stage since it is our right to cross question the government and the police”, he added.
