Manohar Parrikar behaves like mining firm employee: Congress
The Congress on Thursday accused Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of behaving like an employee of the mining lobby in Goa, only interested in protecting the interests of the firms. Reginaldo Lourenco, spokesperson for the Congress legislative party (CLP), which met on Thursday, said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Goa government was trying its best to shield owners of mining firms indicted by the Justice MB Shah Commission, which in its report exposed a Rs 35,000-crore mining scam in Panaji.
"He is behaving like he is an employee of the mining companies and not a chief minister," the spokesperson said.
Criticising Parrikar for his alleged proximity to mining industry captains, Lourenco said he was working against the interests of Goa.
"Parrikar should recover the Rs.35,000 crore from the mine owners who are responsible for the Rs.35,000 crore scam," Lourenco said.
Ever since the Justice M.B. Shah Commission exposed the Rs.35,000 crore scam in its report submitted September this year after going into mining operations in the state since 2010, Parrikar has been under fire.
Politicians and civil society activists have demanded action against the errant mining industry as well as bureaucrats and politicians responsible for the scam.
