PANAJI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) strongly believes that all decisions in Goa should be made by Goans, for Goans. Goa is not a colony of the centre or other BJP states. Goans, not Delhi will decide the future of Goa.
For the past few months Goans have been relentlessly fighting against all the steps that the Pramod Sawant Govt. has taken to benefit Adanis. However, the Pramod Sawant Govt has turned a deaf ear to the voices of lakhs of Goans. Aam Aadmi Party wants to ask the Goan Govt – Has any of these decisions been made with the consent of Goans? Why are the voice of Goans not important for you? Why is the business interest of one business group more important than the voice of lakhs of ordinary Goans? Who has the first right on the forests, environment and resources of Goa – Goans or Adanis? Why has Pramod Sawant made Goa subservient to the interests of the central Govt?
For a Goenkar, it is impossible to get their local roads fixed, but the Govt wants to make a multi-lane highway just to benefit transport of Coal for the Adanis. Why were the people of Goa not consulted on this? Goans still don’t have 24/7 electricity but to aid businesses, high tension wires are being put up on top of peoples houses and villages directly causing harm to them. The Govt has not taken any serious steps to start sustainable mining which is important for creating jobs for Goans, but they are willing to do whatever Adanis want in Goa. Surel Tilve, AAP spokesperson said “What is more important to Pramod Sawant? Ordinary Goans or people who donate to his party? Why has he not taken stood up for the rights and interests of Goans in front of the Central Govt? It’s because he is a mere puppet in the hands of the centre only looking after the interest of industrialists. Goan lives don’t matter to Pramod Sawant. The current government wants to make Goa a coal hub in India and use Goa’s port for Adani coal that will be shipped across India. The costs that Goans will have to bear for this are very high.”
Considering the harmful aftermath of this coal project to Goans’ livelihood and the environment, we need to really ask if it is worth undertaking this project to promote petty private gains.Nations across the world are getting rid of their coal fleet because it is the dirtiest source of energy. It is very concerning that the government is hell-bent on risking the lives of thousands of Goans to fill the pockets of a few. Goa is for Goans, not for Adanis. Right from the beginning, the government has been working on the sly but the BJP government cannot sell our state to further their own interests. Goans need to be the final decision-makers.People of Goa should be making decisions on issues pertaining to Goa and not the Central Govt.