Goa AAP chief claims K’taka officials stopped party leaders during visit to Mahadayi project site

Asenior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Goa claimed that officials in neighbouring Karnataka stopped a group of party leaders during their visit to the site of the Kalasa-Banduri project on Mahadayi river on Tuesday. AAP Goa president Amit Palekar claimed that there was a confrontation between his colleagues and officials of the irrigation department when the group of party leaders visited the site.

Goa and Karnataka are embroiled in a long-standing dispute over diversion of water from Mahadayi river for construction of dams on its tributaries Kalasa and Banduri. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had on Monday said he will soon lead an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat opposing the approval granted to Karnataka for detailed project reports (DPRs) of the two dams.

Speaking about the visit to the project site on Tuesday, Palekar claimed there was a confrontation between his colleagues and the irrigation department officials.

“They stopped us. We were told that we cannot go to the site. However, when we refused to budge and the officials realised that two of the leaders are MLAs, they allowed us to go,” he said.

The party released videos of the confrontation between the leaders and Karnataka officials.

AAP Goa MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva were part of the group that went to Karnataka.

Accusing the BJP of conspiracy, Palekar said, “Our Goa Chief minister is also part of the conspiracy. Our government has failed to take up the necessary steps because of which such a situation has come about.”