MAPUSA: Aam Aadmi Party has criticised the government’s decision of filing an FIR against the Bodgeshwar temple committee and said the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Goa is anti-Goans.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa convener Rahul Mhambre said the FIR proposed to be filed against the temple’s management committee is actually a FIR against the common Goan who is struggling to make a living in this period of pandemic.
“Small traders like those selling sweets at feasts and zatras or those selling clothes and utensils have been affected very badly as there were no fairs for so long and just when their trade was kick-starting, the government has hit them hard to cripple them further,” said Mhambre.
“If the temple committee had violated the SOPs for the pandemic what about the casinos which operated to full capacity during the Festive season? Why were no FIRs filed against the casinos? What about the starred hotels that organised weekend parties? Why no FIR against owners of star hotels?” Mhambre questioned.
Mhambre further raised questions on how the government could conduct the Zilla Panchayat elections during the pandemic and even hold various government functions where there were crowds present and wondered what was so wrong in organising a fair for a zatra.
“The government till date has not announced any package or relief to small traders from Goa but has granted huge waivers to business houses from outside Goa, in particular the tax waiver of Rs 277 crore for the casinos belonging to Delhi parties operating in Goa. Not only casinos, one can easily observe parties happening around Goa’s beach belt, one can see how Covid norms are being violated and police administration is a mute spectator,” the AAP Goa convener added.
“The BJP government is anti Goa and Goans and only interested in protecting the interest of its party leaders in Delhi and their crony capitalist friends,” Mhambre concluded.
