PANAJI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move to drop former environment minister Prakash Javadekar from the Union cabinet is “natural justice” for Goa especially on environment issues, said Congress on Thursday. It also said that North Goa MP Shripad Naik’s appointment as the minister of state for ports, shipping, waterways and tourism is a “blessing in disguise” for Goa.
Describing the cabinet rejig as a “face-saving exercise”, state Congress president Girish Chodankar said that what was actually needed was a change at the helm of the government.
“Natural justice has been done to the betrayer of Goa former Union minister Prakash Javadekar who connived with the chief minister of Goa Pramod Sawant in selling our mother river Mhadei to Karnataka,” said Chodankar.
“The need of the hour was to change the pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft when the nation is passing through turbulent times. Changing the cabin crew will not help in anyway,” said Chodankar.
Congress said it hoped that Sawant would “get his punishment” soon for playing with the sentiments and emotions of Goa.
Though Naik’s appointment as the new minister of state for ports, shipping, waterways and tourism has been viewed as a demotion from his earlier post of independent charge of Ayush ministry and minister of state for defence, the Congress said that the new post will benefit Goa.
“It is actually a blessing in disguise for Goa. I hope he will protect the interest of Goans and save Goa’s coastline and rivers from getting into the clutches of crony club of prime minister Narendra Modi,” said Chodankar, adding, “We hope he will take immediate steps to revive the most affected tourism industry in Goa and put an end to ‘mission 30% commission’ of tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar.”
The party also welcomed the decision of newly-appointed governor of Himachal Pradesh Rajendra Arleker to resign from the primary membership of BJP.
