'Had the ongoing loot stopped, Goa would have become Swayampurna'

Panaji, Aug 20 Goa Forward President Vijai Sardesai, on Saturday, reacting to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's recent remark "Portuguese looted Goa", said if the ongoing loot had stopped then Goa would have become "Swayampurna" automatically.

"Properties and wealth of the tourism area is given to private players. He (Sawant) says that Portuguese looted Goa, if they (BJP government) had stopped the ongoing loot, Goa would have become Swayampurna automatically," Fatorda MLA Sardesai said.

"Our rivers, hills, jetties, tourism properties are our wealth. Their plan is to hand over this wealth to their corporate interest, who are with them. This mission is going on since Covid. I am always saying that Goa is on fast-track sale," Sardesai further said.

Stating that Goa was rich due to minerals, development and also due to natural wealth, the Chief Minister has recently said that because of these reasons, the Portuguese came to Goa.

"Portuguese came to Goa and ruled for 400 years. Goa was not poor, it was rich. And because of this, they came to Goa. While ruling 400 years in Goa, they definitely looted (our wealth). It's not wrong, when we say it," Sawant had said.