BJP MLAs looting Goa on mining, not Dr Claude; cry out ‘Trimurti’
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 05 December 2015 17:37 IST
The Trimurti of independent MLAs have hit out at the ruling BJP MLAs, demanding probe into their loot on mining business rather than raising bogey of Dr Claude Alvares, who is actually fighting for Goa’s prosperity.
The Trimurti – Vijai Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal – in a joint press conference today alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party legislators in the mining belt are making money through illegal means while stakeholders in the mining industry are suffering.
The issue has come up with Goa government alleging in the Supreme Court that Goa Foundation is creating economic unrest in Goa by challenging mining lease renewals, following which Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has agreed to the demand of his MLAs to probe assets of Dr Alvares.
“Probe assets of the MLAs in the mining belt. They are looting the state, not Dr Alvares”, said Sardesai at the joint press conference today afternoon.
He also felt that the government is actually trying to divert attention of the people from the growing unrest in the mining belt by hitting out at Dr Alvares.
He was primarily referring to the truck owners’ ongoing strike which led to violence like setting truck on fire etc.
“The BJP government is also trying to find an excuse in Dr Alvares for the possible defeat in the court”, felt Sardesai.
All the three independent MLAs thus condemned the government decision to probe assets of Goa Foundation, based on demands made by ruling party MLAs from the mining belt.
The demand is made by four BJP MLAs - Dr Pramod Sawant from Sankhli, Ganesh Gaonkar from Sanvordem, Nilesh Cabral from Curchorem and Subhash Phaldesai from Sanguem.
One of these MLAs has even gone to the extent of stating that Dr Alvares is an anti-national.
The whole multi-crore mining scam came to light because of the legal battles Goa Foundation has fought consistently.
“Wasn’t Dr Claude an anti-national when then opposition leader Manohar Parrikar was sharing the information of his PAC findings with him”, ask the Trimurti MLAs.
HOW DO BJP MLAs LOOT?
This is what the Trimurti MLAs disclosed to justify their allegation that the BJP legislators from mining area are benefiting, not the people of Goa, with mining resumption.
1. One BJP MLA from North Goa is practically running the whole operation of a mine in Pale area, owned by V M Salgaoncar & Bro.
2. Brother of one MLA took away the whole amount of Rs five crore of a government contract to build a road when actually Sesa company funded the road construction.
3. BJP MLAs are working as commission agents and employing Kolhapur-based contractors of earthmoving machinery for mining, not bothering about Goans owning the machinery.
4. Vedanta of Sesa Sterile is supplied with trucks owned by BJP MLAs and their relatives at Rs eight per tonne per kilometre, in addition to commission of one rupee per tonne per km to the MLA, ignoring the government rate of Rs 11.80 and sidelining the deserving truck owners.
WHY CONG QUIET?
“Goans will not keep quiet just because the main opposition in the state (Congress) is quiet on this ongoing loot by the BJP”, said Sardesai.
But why is the Congress quiet?
Because like the government, even corruption is a continuous process, quips Sardesai.
According to him, the foundation of corruption in the mining industry was laid down by the Congress and the BJP is following their suite.
Now after mining industry destruction these people should press for leasing of another natural wealth which is looted by handfull. That is fish in rivers and sea.
It was obvious that the BJP govt was upset and frustrated in the manner they made a vicious attack on Goa Foundation and Dr. Claude Alvares. CM Parsekar who parrots what his MLAs say said he was ready to have a probe into the source of Goa Foundation funding. Now he is foist with his own petard. The three independent MLAs led by Vijay Sardessai, MLA of Fatorda have demanded a probe against BJP MLAs from the mining belt to determine the extent of loot accumulated by them at the cost of mining stake holders. We demand immediate probe into the assets acquired by these rogue MLAs. Do not sidetrack by pointing fingers at honest persons like Dr. Claude Alvares and reputed NGOs like Goa Foundation.
Hello we don't need foreigners telling us how to preserve our environment and certainly don't need their funds to do so. People should realise that funds are remitted to stall development in the guise of environmental concerns with people like Claude Alvares fronting them. And why only mining? Because they have deep pockets? If one is really concerned about the environment, there are so many issues which Claude and his organisation can take. He seems blind to vehicular pollution being the biggest problem. But do you see Claude bothered about it or the rampant pollution caused by senseless digging of roads? No. Because they don't have deep pockets!