AERIAL VIEW
There are two issues with this; one, Vishwajit trying to nail Lobo, has inadvertently hit out at his own government since 2012. He has admitted corruption in the BJP government since 2012 as the ODPs of Calangute-Candolim-Sinquerim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra were opened and approved in the last two terms of the BJP.
While Michael Lobo was the chairman of North Goa Planning and Development Authority from 2012 to 2019, former St Andre MLA Francis Silveira was the chairman from 2019 to 2022.
Late Francis D’Souza was the TCP minister when the Calangute-Candolim-Sinquerim ODP was approved, and after that, former Dy CMs Vijai Sardesai and Babu Kavlekar held the TCP portfolios. Does Rane want to say that all these people were also responsible for the illegalities? A single chairperson cannot approve ODP as the TCP clears it. Hence Vishwajit is indirectly accusing the Ministers too for the scams.
Editor, Goemkarponn
It has been more than two weeks now since an FIR was lodged against the leader of the Opposition Michael Lobo and his wife, Delilah Lobo. To add to it, the Minister for Town and Country Planning continued his targetting of Lobo on Wednesday, finding illegalities in Calangute, Arpona-Nagoa-Parta Outline Development Plans.
“Some people at high-level positions, former Chairmans of the PDA who was instrumental in preparing the ODPs, have converted their own properties while holding office. It amounts to prosecution under the Prevention and Corruption Act for using public office for personal gains. Several such irregularities have also been identified in the ODP of Nagao, Parra, and others where high-rise buildings have been approved without having proper access,” Vishwajit Rane said in his series of tweets last evening.
There are two issues with this; one, Vishwajit trying to nail Lobo, has inadvertently hit out at his own government since 2012. He has admitted corruption in the BJP government since 2012 as the ODPs of Calangute-Candolim-Sinquerim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra were opened and approved in the last two terms of the BJP.
While Michael Lobo was the chairman of North Goa Planning and Development Authority from 2012 to 2019, former St Andre MLA Francis Silveira was the chairman from 2019 to 2022.
Late Francis D’Souza was the TCP minister when the Calangute-Candolim-Sinquerim ODP was approved, and after that, former Dy CMs Vijai Sardesai and Babu Kavlekar held the TCP portfolios. Does Rane want to say that all these people were also responsible for the illegalities? A single chairperson cannot approve ODP as the TCP clears it. Hence Vishwajit is indirectly accusing the Ministers too for the scams.
There is no denying that the ODPs are full of scams but can only one person cannot be held responsible.
The second issue is that the Congress high command’s decision of appointing Michael Lobo as Leader of Opposition and Amit Patkar as Party’s Pradesh president does not seem to have gone well with seniors. The split in the Congress is wide open as, despite Vishwajit’s attack on LoP and State president, the senior leaders, who are often seen on Twitter didn’t find it appropriate to send a tweet in support of their colleagues.
Only Amit Patkar and AICC Goa desk in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao have shown their support to Lobos. But that too has been taken. Even the youth Congress has failed to show its solidarity with the LoP.
For example, former CM Digambar Kamat, a good friend of Vishwajit and also upset at party high command for dislodging him as LoP, has not uttered a word against the FIRs. Why?
Normally, Kamat is the first one to send such tweets, or maybe his “Vishal” social media team did not get the news of FIRs as yet. Also, the Congress’ South Goa MP Francis Sardinha and MLA Alexio Sequeira haven’t even uttered a word.
There is no doubt that some top leaders have given Vishwajit a “supari” to target Lobo, and it is time for Congress to support Michael Lobo and put up a united fight; otherwise, it won’t be too long that Michael, like many others, will find his own way and desert the Congress.
