Panaji, Apr 16 (IANS): Hitting out at the BJP, the Goa Congress on Sunday said that leaders of the saffron party, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, "failed to show the guts to speak truth over Mhadei issue" in front of people of the coastal state.

"Today none of the BJP leaders dared to speak over the Mhadei issue during Amit Shah's public meeting (in South Goa). However, Shah tried to divert the issue by boasting of state schemes, which always remains unfulfilled," said Chairman of Goa Congress Media Cell Amarnath Panjikar.

Referring to Shah's remarks, during a public rally in Karnataka's Belagavi in January, that the Centre "has resolved the long dispute between Goa and Karnataka over Mhadei and allowed the diversion of Mhadei to Karnataka to satisfy the thirst of farmers of many districts", Panjikar said: "Pramod Sawant and other leaders of the BJP had got a good opportunity to clarify this issue, in the presence of Amit Shah."

Recently, Goa BJP President Sadanand Shet Tanavade has said that BJP leaders have "guts to tell even the media in Karnataka that the Goa government will not compromise on the Mhadei river issue". On this, Panjikar said, "Forget about speaking in front of the media in Karnataka, the state BJP leaders even failed to make a statement in Goa itself."

"BJP has today proved that it is 'masters of U-turn' and doesn't have guts to face the public on Mhadei issue. They only know how to suppress voice of people who seek justice against their dictatorship. Today all Goans have come to know the real fake face of BJP leaders," he said.