The Hindu : National : Goa Minister resigns over Plan controversy

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Friday, Jan 05, 2007
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Goa Minister resigns over Plan controversy

Prakash Kamat

Faction-ridden Congress and Government rendered vulnerable

PANAJI : Goa Minister for Town and Country Planning Atanasio Monserrate, embroiled in a controversy over the State Regional Plan 2011, resigned on Wednesday night.

This is the second instance that Mr. Monserrate has quit his Ministership. Earlier, he resigned from the Manohar Parrikar Government in early 2005. It triggered a political crisis, which eventually led to the fall of the BJP-led Government and the formation of the present Congress-led coalition.

This time, Mr. Monserrate blamed his party colleagues for not backing himin the controversy surrounding the regional plan.

The development has rendered vulnerable the faction-ridden Congress as well as the coalition Government, considering that the Assembly elections are hardly five months away.

While Mr. Monserrate remained uncommitted over his next move, Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane on Thursday ruled out his leaving the Congress.

Pradesh Congress Committee president Ravi Naik declined to comment on the resignation "at this stage."

The plan has attracted public opposition. Mr. Rane is expected to decide on the resignation on Friday. On Thursday Mr. Rane described the decision of his Minister as "taken in haste" and later tried to persuade him to withdraw the resignation.

The plan has drawn flak ever since it was notified. Opponents fear it would unleash unbridled construction activity damaging the fragile ecology of the State and have demanded it be scrapped. The Chief Minister on Thursday reiterated his offer "to get experts to debate the plan and get it modified to remove incongruities if any."

Following the Goa Archbishop's open criticism of the plan and the Church's support to the public agitation, the Government came under intense pressure and Ministers from coalition parties such as the Nationalist Congress Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) started publicly demanding it be dropped.

Mr. Monserrate has stated in his resignation letter that he was deeply hurt as his colleagues who were signatory to the plan, opposed it when they found the Church opposed it. The BJP, the main Opposition party, described his resignation as political drama and cautioned people "not to get carried away by the Congress gimmick."

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