Panaji, Jan 12 (IANS): In a dig at the ruling MLAs in Goa, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on Wednesday said that they have become 'Ghulam' (Slaves) by keeping mum over the Mhadei diversion issue following a 'Fatwa' of the central government.

Alemao was speaking at a public meeting organised to 'Save Mhadei' at Marcela in North Goa.

Since Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the Centre has cleared the much disputed Kalasa-Bhanduri dam project in his state, people in Goa have started to vent their anger by organising public meetings.

The ruling BJP in Goa has 28 MLAs and the support of two MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and three Independent MLAs in the 40-member legislative assembly.

"Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah today. He should resign if the Central government fails to withdraw the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Karnataka within the next seven days. Even we will resign on this issue to save our Mhadei. We need to create a constitutional crisis on this issue, only then the Central government will come to know about the importance of Mhadei to Goa," Alemao said.

According to him, the BJP government of Goa has compromised Mhadei to benefit the party in Karnataka, which has 28 MPs and many MLAs. "We have only two (Lok Sabha) MPs," he said.

He added that since 1980 all politicians have compromised at various stages on this issue. "There is no doubt abut this. But now we all have to stand up as Goans. We had appealed that all political parties including BJP should come together to fight for Mhadei. But all MLAs have become 'Ghulam' because they are following the fatwa of a party. They are afraid that if they raise their voice over this issue then the party will take action," he said.

"Chief Minister is following the fatwa of the Central government and he is fooling us and wasting time and energy over the issue. There should be change in this political system. People should come out and raise their voices," Alemao said.