Opposition threatens statewide agitation
Margao/Vasco: Even as the Opposition parties on Thursday claimed that the Union government was planning to close the Goa International Airport at Dabolim in South Goa, Transport Minister and Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho said there was no such plan.
Godinho said that he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after learning that the GMR Group, which operates the Manohar International Airport at Mopa in North Goa, was “lobbying” for turning the Dabolim airport into an exclusive naval facility. Singh assured that both the airports will remain operational for commercial air traffic, Godinho said.
The Dabolim airport is part of INS Hansa, the premier air station of the Indian Navy. The talk about its possible closure started after Godinho and Rajya Sabha member Sadanand Tanavade met Rajnath Singh in Delhi earlier this week.
Earlier, the controversy over the continuation of operations at the Dabolim airport resurfaced with Opposition MLAs demanding clarification from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Defence Minister. They have also warned of intensifying an agitation if clarity was not provided.
Fatorda MLA and Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief Vijai Sardesai claimed that the central minister has sternly communicated with Godinho, who said Dabolim, which is a symbol of Goa’s identity, is being considered to be given to the Navy. “I had raised this issue in the assembly after I learnt that GMR, with the help of an Admiral, had put a file noting that after Operation Sindoor, the Dabolim airport should be exclusively kept for the Navy,” Sardesai said. He said that he had challenged the Chief Minister to say this was wrong.
“Godinho had given an assurance that the airport would survive and both airports would be upgraded for the people, not the Navy. It seems that he has failed,” the Fatorda MLA said.
He called for Godinho’s resignation. He said it was time for the people of South Goa district and Salcete taluka to start an agitation if the CM and Godinho did not give an assurance on the issue.
Stating that the closure of the airport would be devastating for South Goa, Sardesai said, “The agitation will reach state level. Dabolim airport aids South Goa’s tourism and hotels, and the people of South Goa, who have never been with the BJP, want to punish.”
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao also raised similar concerns and criticised the state government for siding with GMR. He said that the Opposition had earlier told CM on several occasions that it was not feasible to have two airports.
“This is only to protect GMR. The CM and the Defence Minister should give us a clarification. Our MP has written to the Defence Minister seeking clarification,” Alemao said.
Terming GMR as a ‘crony capitalist’, the Leader of the Opposition questioned why the government was helping them just because they were claiming losses.
Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa questioned whether the government was taking South Goa for granted and urged the people of the district, including stakeholders from the tourism sector such as hoteliers, taxi operators and restaurant owners, to come together.
