Vijai invites CM for public debate, announces ‘Maad Yatra’ from Pedne
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 15 February 2016 20:58 IST
After Ramakant Khalap, now it’s Vijai Sardesai, who has invited Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar for an open debate on ‘coconut bill’ while announcing ‘Maad Yatra’ on 21 February, from CM’s Pedne taluka.
He has also vehemently denied of having cut a single coconut tree to build his house on ‘Bandar’ in Margao.
CM Parsekar and forest minister Rajendra Arlekar had both attacked Sardesai that he cut coconut trees to build his house at Bandar in Margao and now shedding crocodile tears on saving coconut trees for political benefit.
In reply, Sardesai today announced to begin a state-wide Maad Yatra (Coconut Rally), beginning from Pedne taluka, which is represented by Parsekar in Mandrem and Arlekar in Pedne constituencies.
“I accept Chief Minister’s challenge for a public debate on the Coconut Amendment, my house and any other topic that he and his party feels like discussing”, he said at a press conference in Margao today.
He also cautioned the CM not to repeat what he did in the case of Mandrem College where, he alleged, Parsekar has now run away from the public debate after Khalap accepted the challenge.
“It is a matter of time they will do a U turn by promising some new legislation ostensibly to protect the Coconut tree”, predicted the independent MLA.
‘DIDN’T CUT COCONUTS FOR MY HOUSE’
Sardesai has also denied allegations made by both the CM and the Forest Minister of having cut coconut trees to build his house.
“On the contrary, I have replanted adult coconut trees from the property adjacent to the new Collectorate building and I am now having 28 adult coconut trees and 26 young coconut trees in my plot of 2800 square meters”, he said.
He also told the BJP not to remain under illusion of diverting public attention from the issue of saving coconut trees by targeting his house.
The government needs to introspect on how they will attack thousands of self-respecting Goenkar who in their own way are protesting in their villages by having Chipko movements or on social media.
“Will they call them anti-national and once again be ridiculed in International media as the Government has been on the vermin issue and after which they have made the predictable U turn”, asked Sardesai.
Let me ask the organisers of maad farce or paad farce meanings of certain konkani words which were in the usual glossary pertaining to maad. What is nem, villem, shevak, vavr, sanval, allem, paado, paadeli, julgador, render, dabhnem, kaat, konval, chudit, mallam, veer or heer, khapam, dent, etc. Word soor is deliberately omitted.
Most coconut trees are cut by BJP ask BJP MLA Michael how many he has cut, Ask BJP minster Dillip How many he has cut. They will say it was need of the hour. BJP is destroying GOA and GOAN.