Aam Aadmi Party today rejected Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s statement demanding cancellation of the IIT project in his constituency as a political gimmick and said unless the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant issues a notification or takes a cabinet decision to this effect, they will continue to oppose IIT being set up in Melauli.
Briefing media persona AAP spokesperson Adv Surel Tilve pointed out that the same Vishwajit Rane had earlier asserted that he would establish the IIT at Melauli come what may/ “However now that his political future is under threat, he has taken a U turn which is a speciality of the present government,” he said.
While terming Vishwajit’s statement as an eye wash, he said the people of Melaulim who have been agitating for so long will not get fooled by it and will teach him a befitting lesson at the next elections. “The people are fighting for their right and AAP is with them in their struggle,” he said.
Adv Surel pointed out that Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane have always been speaking different languages and said that even in the battle against Covid Vishwajit would say something contrary to what the chief minister had said.
“We would like to know how and why it took Vishwajit such a long time to realize what is the wish of his constituents as these were the very people who voted for him,” he said and pointed out that ownership of land is a real issue in Sattari and people should visit to understand what happens when the land is not in your name.
He pointed out that though Goa has a Land to the Tiller Act in force in Sattari the land is not transferred to the tillers and it appears that the government is the owner of the land that is being tilled by the people. “How did government become ‘Bhaatkars’ (land owners) and is the government following feudalism in Sattari?” he asked.
He said neither Vishwajit nor his father Pratapsing Rane who represented the area earlier ever bothered to settle the land ownership issue.
“Where was Vishwajit when PI Ekoskar stamped on the chest of his female voter? Where was Vishwajit when tear gas was released on his voters? Where was Vishwajit when his voters were lathi charge?” asked Surel while challenging Vishwajit to come to Melauli and agitate with the villagers if he truly supported their cause.
He said the government has not only physically trampled the people but even literally as by taking away the land that they cultivate the government has taken away people’s livelihood. “Did the government cultivate that area where today there are orchards and kulaghars or was it the people who did it?” he asked.
While congratulating the people of Melauli and extending AAP support to them he said that the agitation is not over as yet and will continue till the government gives in writing that the IIT will not be set up there and sought to know how government became owners of the land.
