‘BJP leaders silent on Goa’s key issues, should apologise’

PANAJI: In a sharp retort to BJP, which demanded a public apology from former AICC president Rahul Gandhi, the state Congress unit on Sunday questioned the silence maintained by BJP leaders on vexing issues pertaining to Goa.
Goa Congress general secretary Amarnath Panjikar said that former MP Narendra Sawaikar, Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar and state BJP general secretary Sadanand Tanavade should render a public apology for not taking up issues that concern the safety and security of the citizens.
“The BJP trio, which has just come out of the slumber, should speak about Mhadei, danger of calamity from naphtha vessel, marina projects, resumption of mining, delay in completion of South Goa district hospital, potholes and the high security number plate scam.
Panjikar also taunted former chief minister Manohar Parrikar’s son, Utpal. After the Supreme Court’s verdict on the procurement of the French Rafale aircraft, Parrikar’s elder son had said that Gandhi had used the issue for the sake of politics.
“Tanawade, Tendulkar and Sawaikar must teach Utpal Parrikar to tweet on important issues instead of using the Supreme Court ruling to attack Rahul Gandhi," he said.
Congress also challenged the BJP leaders to take on the government over the corruption that is prevalent in the tourism and sports department, the conversion of orchard and agricultural land under 16-B of the Town and Country Planning Act, fatal accidents and drugs being manufactured at a factory owned by a BJP functionary.