Vijai Sardesai: Mickky should not support govt on Mopa Airport

MARGAO: Hitting out at the BJP government and South Goa Congress MP Franscisco Sardinha and Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho, Goemkar convenor Vijai Sardesai requested Nuvem MLA Francisco ‘Mickky’ Pacheco to withdraw support to the BJP government to bolster opposition to the Mopa airport.

While addressing media persons on Monday, Sardesai said that he had no ego issues with Pacheco and would be happy to concede to him the leadership of the movement if he decided to join Goemkar. “Nuvem MLA Pacheco has contended that he was the pioneer of the anti-Mopa movement. I agree and request him to once again take the lead but by first withdrawing support to the government that is bulldozing this project on the Goan people,” said Sardesai.

The independent MLA further said that it appears that the chief minister has taken Goemkars as his opponents by going ahead with the acquisition of 22 lakh sq m of agricultural land at Mopa, the very next day after Goemkar held a public meeting at Lohia Maidan.

“The land acquisition notice has been followed up with a Mopa steering committee meeting to be held on January 24,” said Sardesai, adding that a delegation of Goemkar will try to meet the civil aviation secretary and chairman of Airports authority of India, who are supposed to attend the meeting.

He criticized Sardinha for having expressing support to the ‘Two airport theory’ and ridiculing the Goemkar movement. “I feel this MP has outlived his political shelf life by pitching for Mopa and intending to contest from South Goa,” Sardesai said, demanding the MP explain to the people what he had done on the promise of special status to Goa given in his presence by the Congress.

SOURCE: THE TIMES OF INDIA