Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: Chicolna Communidade Attorney Mahendra Salkar has issued a legal notice to South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes over allegations concerning the alleged transfer of 6,500 square metres of Communidade land to a metal company owned by a prominent industrialist in Vasco.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Salkar rejected the allegations as false and said he would initiate defamation proceedings if Fernandes did not tender an unconditional apology within eight days.
Salkar said he did not have the authority to arbitrarily transfer Communidade land and questioned the basis of the allegations made by Fernandes and his supporters.
“A few days ago, news appeared wherein South Goa MP Capt. Viriato Fernandes along with his two supporters claimed that I was involved in giving away a prime Communidade land of 6,500 square meters to a metal company owned by a prominent industrialist in Vasco. This is not true,” Salkar said.
He said he had previously resisted government requests for Communidade land, citing an instance in which he claimed the government had sought one lakh square metres for a project.
“In the past, when the government asked me for one lakh square meters of land for some project, I did not give and told them to do whatever they want,” Salkar said.
Salkar alleged that the statements against him were politically motivated and linked them to individuals opposed to his administration of the Chicolna Communidade.
He said he had served as its attorney since 2007 and had been directly elected by its members on multiple occasions.
“There are a few people who may have asked Viriato Fernandes to make such a statement against me because this Chicolna Communidade has been under me for the last 15 years, and I don’t allow nonsense to happen there,” he said.
Salkar also defended the financial position and functioning of the Communidade, claiming that its members receive dividends of ₹1 lakh. He said Communidade shares that were historically valued at ₹20,000 are now valued at ₹25 lakh and claimed that plots were allotted to members in accordance with government rules and regulations.
Salkar further criticised the Congress, alleging that the party was spreading misinformation for political publicity. These remarks were made in response to the allegations raised by Fernandes and his supporters.
Confirming that the legal notice had been formally dispatched to the South Goa MP, Salkar said he would proceed with legal action if an apology was not received within the stipulated period.
“I have decided to file a defamation case against Capt. Viriato Fernandes and sent him a legal notice today. He should apologize within the next eight days, failing which I will go ahead with the case and take this issue to its logical end,” Salkar said.
