Panaji: Goa`s Congress legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco praised on Thursday Aam Aadmi party leader Arvind Kejriwal for daring to take on the high and mighty head on.
"I appreciate Kejriwal. He took Ambani head on. He had the guts to take Ambanis head on," Lourenco said, speaking in the state legislative assembly here.
Lourenco, who is Congress legislative party spokesman, questioned the state government`s silence on recovering money from mine owners, involved in illegal mining, as per the Justice M B Shah Commission, which had pointed out that Goa`s illegal mining business is worth Rs 35,000 crore.
Intervening in the debate, legislative assembly speaker Rajendra Arlekar asked Lourenco not to mention Kejriwal, since the discussion was about the Governor`s speech.
Lourenco castigated the Goa state government for its failure to control the law and order situation in the state and questioned the silence of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar`s and sports minister Ramesh Tawadkar about the building collapse tragedy which killed 32 people in Canacona on January 4, this year.
Incidentally, Tawadkar has been residing in a housing complex next to the collapsed building.
Lourenco`s statement triggered a war of words between him and Parrikar.
The Goa chief minister alleged that Lourenco was involved in "anti-law and order activities", and Lourenco challenged Parrikar to provide evidence to substantiate his allegations.
