PMO favouring Goa, says Raita Sena; seeks resignation of Minister Pralhad Joshi

Raita Sena President questions PMO's favoritism in environmental clearances, demands resignation of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.

Questioning the reported letter from PMO issuing direction to Karnataka government to give environmental clearance for Goa’s power project, State President of Raita Sena Sri Viresh Sobaradmath Swami has sought to know why PMO had not shown similar interest in issuing similar direction to Goa government in connection with environmental clearance for Kalasa Banduri Nala Project.

Addressing press persons in Hubballi on Friday, Sobaradmath Swami said that the development indicated the union government was partisan while handling inter-state issues. “As we live in a federal system, where every state has to be treated equally, the action of the Union government in favour of one state goes against the federal principles”, he said.

Sobaradmath Swami also said that despite being Member of Parliament for over two decades and a union minister for the second time, Pralhad Joshi had failed to protect the interests of the people he was representing.

“Despite tall claims, Mr. Joshi has repeatedly failed to get the clearances for the Kalasa Banduri Nala project and get the project going. It is time he submitted his resignation from the post, accepting his inability to discharge his responsibilities properly. Otherwise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should remove him from the cabinet”, he said.

The Raita Sena president said that the farmers had to take the legal route to get things moving even after the verdict of the Mahadahi Water Dispute Tribunal and it also showed the inability of the Members of Parliament from the districts of Dharwad, Gadag and Bagalkot in discharging their responsibilities.

To highlight the long pending, the farmers had planned to Rashtrapati Bhavan and appeal to the President of India to intervene in the issue. “We will seek permission from competent authorities to highlight the issue in Delhi”, he said.