PM has no respect for federal structure: Goa Congress

Opposition Congress in Goa on Saturday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no respect for an elected chief minister and the "federal fabric" of the country.

The Congress' charge came a day after Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik said the PM had assured him to resolve the issue of Union Environment ministry's letter on Mahadayi river diversion to Karnataka. The Goa government had demanded that the letter 'exempting' Karnataka from obtaining Environment Clearance (EC) for a project on the river either be kept in abeyance or withdrawn.

"The governor's announcement on the PM's assurance on Mhadei is a clear indication that the PM has no respect to the elected CM of our state who had even failed to get an appointment with the PM on the said issue," said state unit Congress president Girish Chodankar.

"This action of the PM is an indication of the mindset of the Centre of respecting an appointed constitutional head (governor) rather than the elected CM disregarding the federal fabric of our country," he said.

Chodankar demanded the CM's resignation over the treatment meted out to him by the Centre.