Demands impartial inquiry
MARCEL, JULY 11
Extending its support to former tourism minister Mickky Pacheco, the Youth Wing of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has claimed that the former minister is being framed by the State police and demanded for an impartial inquiry.
The Nationalist Youth Congress (NYC) members were addressing media in Ponda on Sunday morning in view of filling of the NYC president’s seat, which is vacant since Rajan Ghate resigned from the post last year.
“We will accept whatever may be the verdict, but not the way police department is investigating the case. We feel the former minister is being targeted politically. We will request the authorities to investigate the case impartially,” said South Goa NYC President Satish Gaonkar.
The members claimed that they had unanimously decided to elect North Goa President Edwin Fernandes as the State NYC president. However, their request is pending with the top party functionaries at the Centre. The NYC has also submitted a letter in this regard to the newly elected State party President Jose Philip D’Souza.
“Our members had unanimously favoured my candidature to the post. I have been working with the NYC since the last five years and I hope our President Jose Philip D’Souza take note of it,” said North Goa NYC President Edwin Fernandes.
The NYC members also claimed that with no support from the NCP, its youth wing undertook party building activities. Now, members have requested the NCP to allot funds to expand their party activities.
“Within a year, I have established 18 NYC blocks in South Goa, whereas Edwin established 19 blocks in North Goa. We have done this without any support from our NCP and we need financial assistance to strengthen our NYC and also the NCP in the State. We request our party for funds,” said Satish Gaonkar.
NYC has also taken strong objection to the recent price hike. The NYC has sent a letter to party high command Sharad Pawar requesting him to look into the matter and try to roll back the price hike. The NYC members also said they had supported the All India Bandh against price hike recently.
“We have written to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who is also our party president, to take up the issue with the Center and roll back the hiked prices on petroleum and LPG. We are of the opinion that the price rise is not in the interest of the common man and we have communicated our demand to the party high command,” said Edwin Fernandes.
Satish Gaonkar said: “With support from public and business houses, the Bandh was successful. We had also supported the Bandh against price rise.”
