New Delhi: Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar today made appeal all the alliance partners in BJP-led government to re-think about their support to the government, if they fail to address mining issue.
Independent Goa MLA Prasad Gaonkar, who is supporting Parrikar-led government, after meeting the mining dependents in Delhi, said that “those political parties and Independents supporting the BJP-led State government are responsible for the mess.”
“We all who supported the government are responsible as we got BJP in power. We should have pressurized the BJP to solve this issue on priority. Now it is high time that we should consider our support to the government, if this issue is not solved,” he said.
The host of Goan politicians including State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and members from Manohar Parrikar-led coalition partners participated in the protest started by people dependent on mining industry in Goa.
Goa Mining People’s Front, an umbrella organization of people dependent on mining industry, have begun three day long protest at Ram Leela Maidan in New Delhi demanding resumption of mining activity which has been stalled due to Supreme Court order which quashed 88 leases.
State Health Minister and BJP MLA Vishwajit Rane addressing the mining dependents in Delhi said that the solution for the problem has to be worked out only with the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Initially, there was some confusion between the legal experts in the Centre and the lawmakers. It has been sorted out. The Amendment to the existing mining laws has to be made to ensure that the industry resumes as early as possible,” Rane said.
He said that the BJP is serious about the livelihood of the mining dependents, and would certainly find out the solution.
NCP Goa MLA Churchill Alemao, who visited the mining dependents for the second time, claimed that he has raised the issue with Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, who has assured to take it up in the Parliament.
“I have met Suresh Prabhu and he has assured that the issue would be taken up in the Parliament. The stoppage of mining activity in Goa has created livelihood issues for several thousand people,” he said.
