Panaji: Congress party today alleged that Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai was blackmailing the people of Salcette by threatening to freeze the construction.
Congress spokesman Siddhanath Buyao held a press conference in Panaji to react to the statement by Sardesai. This is what he said in a press conference:
The arrogance of Goa Forward Party and its President Vijai Sardesai has been increasing every passing day. The statement threatening to freeze the constructions in Salcette is merely a technique of the minister who thinks that people will be afraid of him.
I would like to tell Vijai that people’s movement against PDAs was specific with its demands. The opposition is for haphazard and vertical development in the State. And their demand is not specific to Salcette. They are talking about the issues across the State.
Vijai has handpicked Salcette indicating his ‘anti-minority’ mentality, the same thinking which BJP has been carrying in the State. In each step, Vijai is certifying that he is B Team of the BJP in Goa. His ‘Mission Salcette’ is to blackmail, threaten and confuse the people in the taluka.
It is the time for Vijai to understand that ‘enough is enough’. Just because you are a minister and MLA, that does not mean you can dictate your terms to the people. The people have read your intentions and that is why the Movement Against PDAs is getting such tremendous support.
If Vijai was wise enough he would not have spoken about freezing the development but providing the infrastructure like water, power and sewerage. The situation on infrastructure front is so bad that even Airconditioner does not work due to lack of required current.
Vijai should understand that the real meaning of development is through human happiness. There’s no thrust on creating employment, providing good educational facilities and working out means to arrest the influx of migrants. Vijai sees only building as a development.
Vijai should stop thinking himself as King of Salcette. If you have guts then bring a legislation or a Bill in the House on these lines of freezing development. Send it to select committee and invite suggestions from Panchayat bodies and the locals. Vijai should understand that even despite being minister, his rights are limited.
