Ex-Minister Pins Goa's "Rs. 144,000 Crore" Mining Case On Manohar Parrikar
PANAJI, Sept 07: Former Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who is facing an investigation in connection with the second renewal of 88 mining leases in the state, today claimed that the policy for it was formulated during Manohar Parrikar's previous tenure as chief minister.
The Goa Lokayukta had yesterday issued notices to Mr Parsekar and two senior government officers in connection with the second renewal of 88 mining leases in 2014-15, which was quashed by the Supreme Court in February this year.
The 61-year-old BJP leader has now demanded that the Lokayukta should fast track the case against him, so that the truth comes out quickly.
Goa Foundation, an NGO, that approached the Supreme Court against the renewal of 88 mining leases, had filed a petition before the state Lokayukta accusing Mr Parsekar and government officers - former mines secretary Pawan Kumar Sain and current mines and geology department director Prasanna Acharya - of being involved in the illegal renewals.
"How am I responsible for the renewal of the mining leases when they were done as per the state government's policy, which was given an approval by the Bombay High Court at Goa?" Mr Parsekar asked.
He claimed that the mining policy was formulated during the previous tenure of Manohar Parrikar as chief minister, based on the instructions of the high court.
"(Manohar) Parrikar had begun renewing the leases and during his tenure, eight or nine of them (leases) were already renewed," he claimed.
"When I took over, I followed (Manohar) Parrikar's track," said Mr Parsekar, who was the chief minister of Goa from November 2014 till March last year.
The former chief minister demanded that the Lokayukta fast track the case filed against him and not keep it pending for years. "I want the truth to come out. The accusation against me is of being involved in corruption worth Rs. 1,44,000 crore. It is not a small amount," he said.
The Supreme Court had in February this year quashed all 88 mining leases which were renewed from November 5, 2014 to January 12, 2015.
In view of the Supreme Court order, the extraction of iron ore was stopped in Goa from March 16.
Mr Parrikar was chief minister Goa from March 9, 2012 to November 8, 2014, after which he resigned to join the Union cabinet as the defence minister.
Mr Parsekar then headed the state government till March 14, 2017, when Manohar Parrikar again assumed the office, after the BJP-led coalition government came to power following the Assembly elections.
Mr Parsekar had lost from the Mandrem seat in North Goa district during the state polls last year.
Courtesy: www.ndtv.com
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Mamata asks TMC nominees not to leave counting centres as EC data shows BJP leading
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged TMC candidates and agents to remain vigilant and not to leave counting centres, alleging that there was a "game plan" by the BJP and the Election Commission to show the saffron party taking a lead in the early trends of counting.
In a video message issued during the counting of votes, the TMC supremo appealed to party workers to stay put and not to lose morale.
"I appeal to everyone that neither TMC candidates nor counting agents should abandon counting centres," she said.
As trends on the Election Commission website indicated the BJP leading in 188 seats against the TMC's 94, Banerjee maintained that her party was still ahead in a significant number of constituencies.
"We are still ahead in 170 seats, but I request everyone not to lose hope," she said, adding that there were "around 70 to 100 seats where we are leading, but they are not sharing the data of those seats".
"A false narrative is being spread," she alleged.
The chief minister accused the Election Commission of "not declaring results or leads" in areas where the TMC was ahead.
"This is a game plan by the EC and the BJP as it (poll panel) is not declaring results or leads in areas where we are leading," she said.
Banerjee also alleged irregularities in the counting process at some locations.
"In several places, counting has been stopped after the first two to three rounds. In Kalyani, we have caught seven machines with severe anomalies," she claimed.
She further alleged that TMC workers were being "harassed with the help of central forces" and that party offices were being "vandalised and forcefully captured".
"With the help of central forces, they are harassing and torturing AITC workers. Our offices have been vandalised," she said, also alleging that voter list revision exercises were "purposefully done to target seats where we were strong".
Seeking to reassure party workers, Banerjee said more rounds of counting were yet to take place and urged them to stay firm.
"Fourteen to eighteen rounds of counting will happen. You will surely emerge victorious. Don't be afraid; fight like tigers," she said.
Her remarks came as counting trends suggested that the BJP was leading in 188 seats and had crossed the halfway mark of 148 in the 294-member assembly, pointing to a potential shift in the state's political landscape.
Counting for 293 constituencies was underway with postal ballots, followed by EVM votes.
Officials cautioned that trends could change as more rounds are counted, and final results would be known later in the day.
জরুরি বার্তা pic.twitter.com/Uc82oihwEL
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 4, 2026
