Rupesh Samant

Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jan 10: The opposition political parties on Thursday joined hands under a common banner to oppose any move to divert Mahadayi river by Karnataka.

The political parties including Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Goa Forward Party, Shiv Sena united under the banner of Progressive Front of Goa on Thursday resolved to create awareness pan-Goa on the issue.

“Cutting across the political affiliations, all the Goans should come together to fight for the cause of Mahadayi,” MGP’s working president Narayan Sawant told reporters.

He said that the awareness about Mahadayi river and the impact on Goa, if the river flow is diverted, should be made known to all Goans.

Sawant said that Goa should learn from the neigbouring state of Karnataka where the political parties forget their political affiliations and fight together for the river issue.

“ This is not to get any political mileage, but for the future of Goa. Goa may be politically small but we should fight this united,” he said.

Referring to the recent adjournment motion moved by opposition parties on the floor of the House during the one day Assembly session on January 7, Sawant said that the blessing in disguise is that the opposition stood united on the issue before the Speaker.

Goa Youth Forward President Raj Malik said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was not able to get any appointment from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the last three months to discuss the issue.

“It is a positive sign that all the opposition parties are coming together for the cause.”

Progressive Front of Goa leader, Hrudaynath Shirodkar said that Union ministers Prakash Javadekar, Pralhad Joshi and Chief Minister Sawant have cheated the people of Goa on Mahadayi issue.

“I condemn the action of the Goa government that they stalled the adjournment motion on technical ground. When they say that Mahadayi is more than a mother, they cannot stall the adjournment motion on technical ground,” he said.