Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Former Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida on Sunday said that it was time to defeat both the BJP MP Candidates in Goa during the upcoming MP elections for fooling the people of Goa.
Almeida was speaking to reporters after pouring water from the Mhadei River into the Maimolem Lake along with Vasco Block Congress committee president Adv Melwyn Fernandes, Former Vasco MLA Herculano Dourado and other Congress members as a protest and a show of solidarity in the fight to protect river Mhadei.
“The BJP Government stands totally exposed, and it was the CM Dr Pramod Sawant who had said that Mhadei was like his mother, but Union Home minister Amit Shah has said that the water is being diverted to Karnataka after taking Goa Government in confidence. This is a sad thing to happen, and we don’t understand who is a bigger liar, the CM Dr Pramod Sawant or Union Minister Amit Shah,” he said
Almeida said the CM is now saying that he will study the speech of Amit Shah, but even a five-year-old boy can clearly understand the message of Shah.
“It is time for the Goans to unite in this fight to protect Mhadei, without which the people and the float and Fauna will also die,” said Almeida.
“The double-engine government has failed miserably In Goa, and it does not matter whether the statements were made as part of elections strategy, but Mhadei is our lifeline, and water is essential for us and our future generations. Our forefathers fought for opinion polls, Goa Statehood, and the official language and the Goans must unite in this fight for Mhadei, created by the BJP. The people must change both these BJP MPs and ensure the defeat of the BJP in both seats for having fooled innocent Goans. I am sure that the Congress party will take the lead in Vasco for the upcoming MP Elections,” said Almeida.
Vasco Congress block President Adv Melvyn Fernandes said that the protest was carried out by the Congress party in all the constituencies where a pot of water from Mhadei River would be released in a water body as a show of solidarity in the fight to protect river Mhadei.
“This Agitation is the need of the hour, and we must understand that the Mhadei has to be saved. The Union Home minister Amit Shah’s message is very clear that Goa Government has fooled Goans and sold Mhadei to Karnataka. If we don’t fight against the atrocities committed by the Goa Government on Goans, our lifeline of the Mhadei River will be sold to Karnataka, and it is my appeal to the Goans to wake up and join this fight for the Mhadei river,” he said.
This movement has to gain greater heights because every common man understands that the Goa CM, Dr Pramod Sawant, has fooled Goans royally. We have to thank Amit Shah for having exposed Goan politicians and the lies of the Goa Government,” said Fernandes.
Former Vasco MLA Herculano Dourado said that he expected the people of Goa to rise to the occasion like they rose for the Opinion poll, Statehood and Konkani Movement
“This is a new beginning, and the water of Mhadei is being passed into water bodies across all constituencies so that the people get the feeling of sanctity. Half of Goa will be dry if the Mhadei water is diverted, and we have no time after the Bandaras is built to divert the water. The BJP is not with us, and the BJP has been backing Karnataka, which is a bigger state, and Goa will stand to suffer if we don’t fight now,” said Dourado.