Cong partnering with BJP Govt: Vijai
GOANEWS DESK, MADGAO | 22 February 2016 17:41 IST
After targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party government on the issue of ‘coconut bill’, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai has also turned his guns against the opposition Congress, calling them ‘partners of the government’.
At a press conference held in Margao today morning, Sardesai also indirectly introduced former ZP Anthony alias Babush Rodrigues as the Velim candidate of Goa Forward.
With Babush sitting silently next to him, Sardesai said he is taking the Maad Yatra to Velim constituency next Sunday on 28 February.
Sardesai ridiculed the announcement made by the Congress to move a resolution in the next Assembly to declare coconut as the state tree.
“Will the resolution help protecting the coconut tree? The government will happily support the resolution. We need to demand together that the amendments moved to the Preservation of Trees Act be rescinded”, said Sardesai.
Taking a dig at opposition leader Pratapsing Rane, the initiator of Goa Forward said the whole Goa knows who moved proposal in the Assembly to declare certain animals as vermin, which was supported by the government.
“We will happily welcome if the BJP government takes U turn on the coconut bill and repeals it”, he said.
Sardesai said by deleting section 1 of the Preservation of Trees Act, no permission is now required to cut coconut trees or also obligation to replant coconut trees if cut.
While stating that the government is now talking about having a new legislation to protect coconut trees on the lines of Philippines, he said there cannot be a legislation allowing cutting of trees if the government is sincere about protecting coconut trees.
But Sardesai’s main concern is just not a coconut tree but to build a political movement by climbing the coconut tree.
“Coconut is a symptom, the real disease is the government. And we need democratic cure to treat this disease”, he says.
Thus he appeals to the second-line Congress leaders to come out openly to support the anti-BJP movement, like how former Congress MLA Babu Azgaonkar came out openly in Pedne by defying the pressure of Delhi high command not to participate in the Maad Yatra.
Sardesai therefore also came down heavily on Goa Congress chief Luizinho Faleiro, asking why he is silent on the threats issued by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to arrest those who oppose DefExpo in Betul.
“Let’s have Goa Bandh on the issue of DefExpo. Let’s see how many jails the government can fill by arresting all the self-respecting Goenkar”, he threw an open challenge.
But he wondered why the Congress, the principal opposition party, is not taking the BJP government head on to counter the ‘development authoritarianism.’
He also challenged Faleiro to come forward fearlessly and prove that he has Goan blood flowing in his veins rather than supporting the ‘partnering’ of Congress leaders with the BJP.
Enough is Enough 5 years is Enough for the present government we need a change in government. Yes we need a change to protect Goa and Goans. Delhi air is polluted lets not do it in Our Goa.