TMC releases 'charge sheet' detailing Goa's woes

The TMC 'charge sheet' claimed Goa was the eighth-worst among all states in India in terms of unemployment

The Trinamool Congress on Monday slammed the BJP-led coalition government in Goa, claiming that the coastal state, otherwise known for tourism, had transformed into the newest crime hotspot in the country.

The party also released a 'people's charge sheet which criticised the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant-led administration for not being able to revive the mining sector in the state, while also claiming that the education and the health sectors had crumbled in Goa.

"Crime in Goa sharply rose by 60 per cent (218 per lakh population) in the last 4 years alone. 5 women are raped in Goa every month, 3 of whom are minors. Goa’s rate of rape (7.8 per lakh population) has become double the national average," says the TMC's charge sheet, which was released in presence of TMC MP Mahua Moitra, national vice president Luizinho Faleiro and party leader Babul Supriyo.

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"Goa’s government failed to recover the illegal mining loot amounting to ₹35,000 crore as calculated by (Justice MB) Shah Commission report. Lack of government’s foresight has directly cost the livelihoods of nearly 2.5 lakh Goans dependent on mining," the charge sheet also said. The mining industry in Goa has virtually shut down since 2018, in wake of a Supreme Court order, which had exposed irregularities in the mining lease renewal process adopted by the state government.

The charge sheet also took a swipe at the Covid management efforts of the state government.

"Goa recorded the highest Covid-19 death rate and second highest infection rate in India. The government’s vested interest in oxygen procurement caused 75 deaths in just four days in GMC, during the second wave. 239 out of 1486 schools in Goa have only one teacher. 152 government primary schools have been closed in the last eight years," the charge sheet said.

The charge sheet also said that the BJP-led coalition government was in the process of destroying the environment in the coastal state by pursuing controversial projects, which include road and rail expansion projects along the Goa-Karnataka border.

"Despite public opposition, the government-backed the Vasco-Mollem double-tracking and Mopa Airport projects, destroying Goa’s environment and cultural heritage. Mormugao port expansion plan has put Goa’s biodiversity and the lives of its people at risk, just to favour a few corporate giants," the charge sheet also said.

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