Panaji: State Congress president Girish Chodankar said that the party will not be coerced into silence by veiled threats from govt and the House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL). Chodankar claimed that chief minister Pramod Sawant is trying to ensure that political parties do not support the Karapur Sarvan villagers in their protest against the mega residential project by the House of Abhinandan Lodha.“It is the opposition’s job to question govt. We have to raise issues and the House of Abhinandan Lodha has written to me in a manner that suggests that I should not speak up. I don’t know whether this is a letter or a legal notice or a threat. Do they think that I will stop speaking? I will continue to speak and I even joined the protest,” said Chodankar.In the letter addressed to Chodankar, HoABL said that Chodankar’s statements and insinuations “appear to perpetuate substantially the same false and defamatory narrative” concerning the developer’s projects. HoABL urged Chodankar to refrain from making further statements without verifying facts.“I feel that the chief minister put pressure on the company to send me this letter. I have no doubt about this,” said Sawant.Chodankar also questioned Sawant’s links to a private executive jet that has been parked at the Manohar International Airport.“Does he travel using this private jet, which is about Rs 130 cr? Many of Goa’s family-run businesses have not been able to buy and own a private jet till today. We want the chief minister to tell us how the people close to him can become crorepatis overnight,” said Chodankar.
