Goa Congress slams BJP over mining scam, demands to make PAC report public

Panaji (Goa) [India], December 11 (ANI): Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar said that the BJP has lied to people over the alleged mining scam and asked Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to make a report of Public Accounts Committee in the public domain which "maligned the name of former chief minister Digambar Kamat and Congress party".
Showing a letter of the Department of Mines and Geology, which clearly clarified that "Rs 35000 crore mining scam never happened in Goa", Chodankar demanded that BJP should make the PAC report if it exists, public before Zilla Panchayat election.
"Not only Congress party suffered due to this report-which maligned us, but more than three lakh mining dependents have suffered since last nine years after then chief minister Manohar Parrikar took steps for closure of mining activities. Hence now we demand that BJP should make the PAC report if it exists, public before Zilla Panchayat election," Chodankar said while addressing a press conference.
The Goa Congress president stated that after referring to the Documents from Prime Minister's Office and State Governments Public Grievances Cell, it is clear that BJP and Late Manohar Parrikar "blatantly lied to the people of Goa on mining scam, which never happened".
Chodankar also said that the PAC report was also never tabled in Goa assembly as it was not existing.
"BJP says 'Modi Hai to Kuch Bhi Mumkin Hai', then what stops them to start mining activities in Goa. BJP has the government at the Centre and also in Goa. It should be very easy for them," he said.
Chodankar said that when Digamber Kamat was chief minister of Goa, the state liability was mere Rs 7,000 crores, which now in BJP's rule has touched Rs 26,000 crores.
"Manohar Parrikar closed the activities of mining for selfish purposes. He wanted to hand over the mines to the friends of Narendra Modi. Over this issue, he maligned Congress by creating a scam which never happened. Thus the economy of the state collapsed. Now BJP should take responsibility for mining shutdown, economic collapse and of all failures," Chodankar demanded.
He also said that BJP at the national level created 2G scam and coal scam to defame Congress and in Goa created mining scam to defame Congress at the state level, which helped them to win elections.
"It is unfortunate that the then Leader of Opposition Late Manohar Parrikar adopted the unethical tactic of 'Politricks', to create public resentment against the then Congress Government headed by popular Chief Minister Digambar Kamat. BJP also played with sentiments and emotions of Goa," he said. (ANI)