Panaji: Congress leader Girish Chodankar on Monday alleged that BJP and its, Ministers, MLAs are known for ‘U Turn’ and hence TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane should scrap the Pernem Zoning plan.
Chodankar was reacting to Rane’s announcement of keeping Zoning plan in abeyance, instead of fulfilling demand of locals to scrap it.
“We have seen in past how BJP has taken ‘U Turns’ on several issues. This is his trick to pacify the situation against him, launched by Pernem locals. People of Goa will not fall prey to such tactics,” Chodankar said.
Alleging that it is modus operandi of BJP and TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane to blackmail MLAs of other parties, over their alleged irregularities, to join them, Chodankar has asked to first take action against MLA Michael Lobo before taking anti-people decision on Pernem zoning plan draft.
Chodankar stated that conversion of 1.4 crore sqm of green cover will destroy Pernem and will make people suffer. “Congress party demands to scrap this zoning draft plan to save Pernem,” he said.
“It is shocking that after Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar demanded to scrap this draft, Vishwajit Rane leveled allegations against him stating he had requested him to convert 1 lakh square meter land and latter also spoke about formers illegal activities. Same thing he had done with Michael Lobo, when he was in Congress,” Chodankar said.
“I would like to remind Vishwajit Rane, if his memory is short, that he had publicly stated that nothing can stop him from taking action against Michael Lobo for illegal activities he had done. Lobo is also on record stating Rane was harassing him by sending FDA officials to his hotels. But after Lobo joined BJP, Rane stopped talking about his illegalities and taking action against him,” Chodankar said, adding if has guts then he should first arrest Lobo.
“This seems to be modus operandi of BJP and Rane to blackmail MLAs of other parties and then give them option of joining saffron party,” he said.
“Vishwajit Rane on Friday had said that the Zoning plan will not be scrapped at any cost and soon later extended the time to file objections. Is this not too obvious that extension of time to file objections is mere farce? An attempt to hoodwink the people of Pernem and the entire Goa,” he said.
