Don't fall prey to misleading anti-CAA campaigns: Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday urged the people of the state "not to fall prey" to the "misleading campaigns" on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

He also claimed that people belonging to any religion living in the state should not be worried about the new citizenship law as it would not affect them in any way.

Sawant was addressing the state-level function held in Panaji to celebrate the Goa Liberation Day.

"The central government has passed the Citizenship Amendment Act. I would like to assure all of you that no Hindu, Muslim or Christian in Goa should be worried about it. Do not fall prey to the misleading campaigns against the Act," he said.

"As the chief minister of the state, I would like to assure that the Act is not going to affect anyone in the state. It is my responsibility to protect the interest of each citizen of the state," Sawant said.

Goa witnessed a silent protest at Azad Maidan in Panaji against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Wednesday, in which thousands of people took part.

On the letter written by Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to Karnataka on Wednesday over the Mahadayi river project, he said it has proved that his government won't accept any compromise on the issue.

The MoEF on Wednesday kept in abeyance its letter earlier written to Karnataka that its Kalasa Banduri project on Mahadayi river does not need an environment clearance (EC). The MoEF wrote the letter to Karnataka after Sawant met Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar in New Delhi.

"The opposition parties were busy levelling various allegations against me. But we have proved that we will not allow any kind of compromise on the issue of Mahadayi," he said.

"Mahadayi is like a mother to me and once again I would like to reiterate that our stand will not change on it," he told the gathering.

"After the letter by MoEF keeping its earlier communication (to Karnataka) in abeyance, it is amply clear that we will not allow any compromise on the Mahadayi issue. Mahadayi belongs to Goa and it will continue to remain so," he added.

Sawant also said his government was making efforts to ensure that the first phase of the greenfield airport at Mopa in North Goa is commissioned by 2022.

He also expressed confidence that the mining industry in the coastal state would resume soon as attempts were on to revive it by filing a review petition in the Supreme Court and also through the intervention of the Centre.