Sena demands President's rule in Goa over Parrikar's absence

Panaji: The Shiv Sena on Tuesday demanded that President’s rule be imposed in Goa in the wake of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s absence from the state. Last week, Parrikar has gone to the US for medical treatment.

In the absence of Parrikar, the state has been left “headless” and no one has the authority to take decisions on key issues, like the impending crisis in the mining industry, the Sena’s Goa spokesperson, Rakhi Prabhudesai Naik, said in a statement.

The recent statement of Goa Forward Party (the BJP’s ally) chief Vijai Sardesai that Goa is facing an Emergency-like situation is a true reflection of the state of things here, she said. “In the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the state is left headless, and deserves to be ruled by the President of India,” she said.

Naik said the state has been left headless at a time when it is facing closure of the mining industry and there is no one to speak for the interest of people dependent on it. The Supreme Court had last month quashed the second renewal of iron ore mining leases given to 88 companies in Goa in 2015.

The apex court said it was giving time till March 15 to mining leaseholders, who have been granted a second renewal in violation of its previous directions, to manage their affairs. They are directed to stop all mining operations with effect from March 16, until fresh mining leases (not fresh renewals or other renewals) are granted and fresh environmental clearances are granted, the court said.

Naik alleged that the people dependent on mining industry are only getting false promises and seeing the “melodrama” of delegations going to Delhi. “No solution has been provided to their problems and certainly, in the current situation, we can’t expect a solution from the cabinet advisory committee which is the least bothered about people,” she alleged.

Before leaving Goa, Parrikar had formed a three-member cabinet advisory committee comprising Vijai Sardesai, Sudin Dhavalikar and Francis D’Souza to guide the state administration in his absence. Naik claimed that the committee has not even held a meeting to discuss the situation that may arise after the mines are closed.

The Shiv Sena said the state needed President’s rule so that at least the Centre could take over and provide some relief to people dependent on the mining industry. The Sena is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra. It does not have any representation in the Goa Assembly.