Opposition targets Goa CM over HM Amit Shah’s remarks on Mhadei water for Karnataka; he says state govt won’t compromise on issue

PTI, Jan 30, 2023, 5:46 PM IST

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said there will be no compromise on the Mhadei issue and that his government was working to protect the river water from being diverted after the Opposition sought his resignation over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks that BJP has given the water to Karnataka.

Goa and neighbouring Karnataka have been engaged in a tussle over sharing of the river water for several years. Goa has often accused Karnataka of proceeding unilaterally in the matter by ignoring pacts.

Opposition parties in Goa on Saturday sought the resignation of CM Sawant after Shah told a rally in poll-bound Karnataka that the Mhadei river water dispute had been resolved and the river water given to the southern state.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Sawant said Goa has a strong legal standing in the Supreme Court on the issue.

”There will be no compromise on it and the government has been working to protect Mhadei river water from being diverted,” he said.

Addressing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘Jana Sankalp Yatre’ in Belagavi on Saturday, Shah said, ”I want to tell you (people) that the BJP, by resolving the long-standing dispute between both states, has given Mhadei water to Karnataka and, thereby, ensured farmers in several districts here are benefited.” Latching on to Shah’s comments, the opposition parties criticised the BJP-led government in Goa.

The Congress, Goa Forward Party, Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress have demanded CM Sawant’s resignation on the issue. The TMC on Monday questioned Sawant’s ”silence” and sought clarification from the BJP and the state government over Shah’s remarks.

TMC Goa’s joint convenor Samil Volvaikar said Sawant should take a stand on the issue, especially after Shah’s statement ”which has mentioned that the Mhadei water would be diverted and the Goa government has given nod to it”.

”The BJP government at the Centre and Goa have sold off the mother Mhadei, our lifeline, to win the upcoming Karnataka elections,” Volvaikar alleged and wondered why Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t refer the crucial Mhadei issue in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address a day before.

TMC’s Goa general secretary Rakhi Prabhudesai Naik demanded the BJP and the state government clear their stand on the issue. ”Amit Shah had mentioned that the water would be diverted and the Goa government has given consent. The BJP should clarify who is lying. Whether Shah or Sawant, one of them is lying over the Mhadei issue,” Naik alleged.