Revolutionary Goans’s Mhadei drive from today, breakaway group opposes it

PANAJI: The Revolutionary Goans (RG) party on Saturday announced that it will begin its all-Goa awareness campaign on the issue of diversion of the Mhadei’s waters by Karnataka . The campaign will be launched from Pissurlem in Sattari on Sunday, said party president Manoj Parab.
RG is the only opposition party which has decided not to join the all-opposition party public meeting on the Mhadei issued to be held on January 16 at the Amonda-Virdi playground.
However, on Saturday, a breakaway faction from the party came forward to criticise Parab’s decision to not be a part of the joint opposition public meeting planned on January 16.
The members opposing Parab’s decision accused him of trying to gain political mileage out of a sensitive and crucial issue of the drinking water needs of the state. When all opposition parties have decided to come together on one-platform over the Mhadei issue, Parab’s decision to go solo in his protest is uncalled for, they said.
“At a time when all Goans should raise their voice together to be heard by the Centre against Karnataka, why is Parab playing politics. From now on, we are breaking our ties with Revolutionary Goans,” said Gauresh Gaonkar, from the breakaway group.
An unfazed Parab though announced that scientist Nandakumar Kamat will be the speaker at RG’s Pissurlem meeting.
“Kamat is a renowned scientist who has visited various stretches of the Mhadei over the years and is the best resource person on the subject to raise awareness about the diversion. I request people to attend the meeting in large numbers,” he said.
Andre Veigas, who was RG’s candidate from Vasco constituency, said that Parab is too arrogant and unwilling to accommodate others’ views.
“He doesn’t want to listen to others, but wants to dictate his own terms to us and wants us to follow instructions blindly. That is not the right way to function. It is important to take all views," he said.