SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Team Herald
MAPUSA: INDIA Bloc’s North Goa candidate Adv Ramakant Khalap expressed concerns about BJP coercing its grassroots workers and instilling fear among them.
Speaking after campaigning in market areas in Tivim and Marcel, Khalap said, "Karyakartas (workers) are being threatened. But they have assured me that even though they are with me, they cannot speak out publicly as they are being watched. As they have businesses, they fear retribution. There is fear being created across this country. This has never happened before,” alleged Khalap. “This is the country where Mahatma Gandhi, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel gave us democracy, and freedom fighters like Subhash Chandra Bose fought for the country. Shivaji Maharaj led by his example of 'equality among all religions'. But these people are trying to hijack this for their political means and call themselves ‘Shivaji bhakts’. Our youth have to ponder over these things," Khalap said.
Speaking at a corner meeting in Colvale, Khalap said that former Congress Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had drafted extensive plans to establish a network of superhighways, airports, and gas pipelines.
“Huge highways have been built across the country, but the groundwork for this project was laid by former Congress Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He had drafted extensive plans to set up a network of superhighways, national river highways, airports, and gas pipelines. But the extension work must be sped up to ensure each home is connected, and get access to essentials like 24-hour supply of power, water, gas, etc. Then Union Defence Minister George Fernandes had once told me that instead of planning for five years, let us plan to undertake work for three years and complete it within this period,” Khalap said.
