SOIRU VELIP | NT
PANAJI: Even though the political parties in Goa are united on safeguarding the Mhadei river (called Mandovi in Goa) and on the issue of not allowing Karnataka to divert water from the Mhadei basin, they have expressed different opinions while reacting to the recent decision of the central government to withdraw the permission given to Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni to represent Goa before the Mhadei Inter-state Water Disputes Tribunal.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times,’ the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its former ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party have expressed confidence that the Centre will not do injustice to Goa, while the Congress and Goa Forward Party have raised doubts over the approach of the ruling party with regard to the handling of the Mhadei water diversion matter saying that it is not the right way to depend on a single legal officer. Aam Aadmi Party has suggested that the state government should immediately seek the opinion of Advocate General Saresh Lotlikar on the matter.
BJP’s Goa unit is confident about winning the battle of Mhadei water dispute, as its government in the state has been successfully arguing the matter since the last couple of years. “Since the Union Law Minister hails from Karnataka state, the Ministry must have taken the decision to withdraw permission that was given to ASG Nadkarni under some pressure. But we are very much confident that injustice will not be done to Goa by the central government,” BJP state president Vinay Tendulkar said. Maintaining that the BJP government has time and again taken the stand that it will not compromise on the Mhadei water diversion issue, he said that the Prime Minister will take appropriate decision on the request of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
Congress party alleges that the present BJP government is not serious and has no clarity on the Mhadei issue and that the government does not even know its priorities. All India Congress Committee Secretary Guirish Chodankar said that the approach of the BJP government at the Centre as well as in the state, towards Karnataka’s attempt to divert water from the Mhadei basin will lead to a slow death of the lifeline of Goa, alleging that the functioning of the ruling party looks like it wants to protect the interests of Karnataka rather than Goa.
On the issue of withdrawal of permission given to Nadkarni he said, “It is quite a simple thing that as the Additional Solicitor General of the country Nadkarni cannot appear before the tribunal on behalf of Goa. And I do not understand why BJP government is only depending on Nadkarni? Why it cannot appoint another senior advocate to handle the case?” Chodankar suspects that the BJP will swindle Goans on Mhadei water dispute issue like the decision of the state government allowing the Centre to nationalise rivers of Goa without consulting the people of the state. “Congress has always shown its readiness to cooperate with the state government on the Mhadei issue, but the lead should be taken by the ruling party. But the way BJP government has handled the issue, I think Mhadei river will die a slow death,” he said.
Stating that the Goa government has to scout for a capable legal officer to appear before the tribunal instead of pleading helplessness, which shows the government is building alibi for its prejudice and anti-Goan stand, before the central government, president of Goa Forward Party Prabhakar Timble said that it looks like the central government has been influenced by pressure from Karnataka and is giving importance to the ‘political number game’ rather than the genuine claim of Goa. “Of course, a former AG is more conversant with the issue and would be an advantage for Goa while presenting the case, but it does not mean that he is the only legal expert on the issue,” he noted, alleging that the BJP government is looking for business like the decision on nationalisation of rivers of the state without taking the stakeholders into confidence. “We are confident that all the political parties will come together on the Mhadei issue,” he said, however, maintaining that the GFP has doubt on the commitment of BJP, which, he said, has created dramas and U-turns on all the issues.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Goa chief Elvis Gomes suggests that without wasting more time, the state government should seek opinion of present Advocate General, who is competent, and if needed, not hesitate to engage good lawyers even from outside Goa. “We should see how we can protect the interest of the state and in such sensitive legal matters, we should always have a backup of experts,” he said.
President of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party Pandurang ‘Deepak’ Dhavalikar, on the other hand, does not suspect any political pressure from the Karnataka side with regard to the Centre’s withdrawal of permission given to Nadkarni. He expressed confidence that the central government will restore the permission to Nadkarni, as the Chief Minister has already requested the Prime Minister. He also said that the MGP is demanding that the matter be expedited at the Union Ministry level to allow Nadkarni to represent Goa before the tribunal.