TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Congress accused the Chief Electoral Officer Keshav Chandra of conniving with the ruling BJP government for rejecting permission to air its radio jingle on mining ban.
The jingle features a voice over of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar taking credit for closure of mining, at the CNN IBN awards.
At a press briefing on Monday, GPCC’s Organising Secretary Durgadas Kamat said the party had penned special jingle that pointed out contradictions by Parrikar on the closure of mining activity in the State.
“Contents of the jingle were sent for approval but it was rejected. This shows EC is hand-in-gloves with the government. We are just trying to expose the lies of the government,” he said as he played the jingle during the briefing. He claimed, in the recording at CNN IBN award ceremony, Parrikar is heard saying he had stopped mining operations a month before the Supreme Court suspended the activity following allegations of large scale illegal mining.
Party general secretary Pratima Coutinho, also present at the briefing, alleged that several complaints by Congress to the election officer are being ignored. The party leaders alleged that Chandra was resorting to these tactics as he is himself involved in the Lusofonia Games infrastructure scam.
Notwithstanding, Congress has filed complaints with the election commission of India against two government servants for campaigning for the BJP while on duty.
The Congressmen have decided to file e-complaints with the ECI in addition to returning officer and CEO in Goa, to ensure there is no political interference.
The fresh complaints allege that two drivers Vallabh Adel and Sudesh Gaonkar, attached to Quepem Municipal Council and Public Works Department in Quepem, respectively have been openly campaigning for the saffron party in the office premises.
Coutinho demanded that CEO immediately register a criminal offence against the two to “give a sense of security” to locals. The party has further alleged BJP has been threatening election observers and police officers over the recording of their public meetings.
Meanwhile Durgadas Kamat has been elevated as organising secretary of the Congress for his good work, General Secretary Pratima Coutinho informed media, Monday.
