Rupesh Samant

Panaji, Feb 21: Leader of the opposition Digambar Kamat demanded intervention of chief minister Pramod Sawant to stall ESG’s plan to demolish INOX multiplex to make way for a new one.

“After demolishing the Goan Film Industry since 2012, The Extravagant Society of Goa (ESG) is now on a demolition drive of Multiplex at Campal to create a new structure. I demand the immediate intervention of the chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant to stop the wasteful expenditure,” Kamat said in a press statement issued here.

He said that the government should first bring whitepaper on the actual benefits of IFFI to Goa and the performance of ESG vis a vis its actual contribution to promote Goan Film Fraternity.

“The decision to demolish the present multiplex complex which was constructed in 2004 is completely uncalled for. This government is yet to fulfill the promise of building 'IFFI Convention Center' and suddenly this new idea is floated surely with some ulterior motives,” he said.

“On one side the government is taking loans and on the other side unwanted wasteful expenditures are done,” Kamat added.

“The IFFI has now turned out to be International Fraud Festival of India with scams in organizational expenditure, cultural programmes, decorations etc with the direct involvement of the ruling party cadres and office bearers,” he said.

“I was assured in the assembly by the then Information and Publicity Minister Milind Naik to conduct an inquiry into all the scams since 2012. I demand that the inquiry report should be made public immediately,” Kamat said.

“The local film producers are deprived of benefits under Film Finance Schemes. The films which were produced in 2011 are yet to get financial assistance under the scheme,” he said.

“The scheme which was launched by the Congress government was kept dormant for almost three years by the BJP government,” the leader of the opposition said.

“ESG has no money to provide benefits to the local film fraternity. The assembly LAQ replies have revealed that the Goan filmmakers were fooled by the ESG by screening their films in IFFI-2019.”

Kamat said the reply clearly states that those films which were not part of the Goan stories section are not entitled to any benefits.

“I once again demand that the chief minister immediately roll back the decision to demolish the multiplex at Campal, failing which we will not hesitate to launch an agitation against the government's decision.”