PANJIM: After an initial silence, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Saturday took on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) former chief and rebel Subhash Velingkar, appealing to workers to speak out against Velingkar, as he has now lost RSS protection.
Kicking off the campaign for the 2017 Assembly polls at a party workers meeting on Saturday, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar led a scathing attack on Velingkar, while Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was more controlled stating he will speak as elections inch closer.
Parsekar appealed to party workers not to restrain themselves from speaking against Velingkar, who has announced he will ensure the defeat of the BJP in the polls.
“We had maintained silence over the statements made against BJP on the issue of MoI. Some leaders (of BBSM) are talking of eliminating BJP in the upcoming Goa polls. Now we will also talk against them, the workers should openly talk against them, as their ‘kavach kundals’ (protective gears) are lost,” Parsekar said referring to Velingkar being relieved as RSS Goa Vibhag Sangh Chalak.
“Our workers should be vocal. They should pass on this message to every booth and every household. The language of eliminating BJP will not be tolerated,” the chief minister said addressing nearly 700 odd workers and MLAs.
“There are nearly 1600 political parties in the country but, BJP is one of the largest political organisations,” he stated.
Parsekar, who is also the Education Minister, said it is universally recognised that primary education should be in the mother tongue, that BJP stands by it and efforts have been made to encourage Marathi and Konkani in primary education.
Parrikar, in his speech, made a controlled attack on Velingkar and BBSM claiming that “Sangh (RSS) has taught him (Parrikar) to be disciplined” due to which he has been restraining himself from being as vocal as Parsekar.
“Sangh has taught me to be disciplined. Even if the other person acts undisciplined, I will not violate mine (discipline). I have had patience for last six months,” the Union Defence minister said, adding that he would break his silence over the topic if the issue continues to be in limelight in the run-up to the elections.
However, he made it clear that BJP is not concerned about anyone floating a party. “Politically we have fought many battles, this will be just another party for us,” Parrikar said reacting to BBSM announcement that it would float a political alternative to BJP on October 2.
The Union Minister said people are smart and know whom to defeat in the coming polls. “If anyone has doubt on the people, then they can ask Ravi Naik, Churchill Alemao, Dayanand Narvekar,” he said.
Parrikar said the BJP manifesto had clearly mentioned that regional languages would be MoI, which has been implemented. “As a political party we have to take along all the sections of society,” the Defence Minister said referring to grants being given to English medium Diocesan schools.
Stating that BJP has not continued with the Congress government policy on MoI, Parrikar said the party had assured an amicable solution on the issue and this was done. “If someone doesn’t understand the meaning of amicable solution then it is not my problem,” he stated.
Parrikar also said he would take the responsibility of bringing the saffron party to power once again. The former Chief Minister said, “I will give my time to Goa from now until the elections. I have taken the responsibility to get the party to power with majority in the upcoming polls.”
“At the same time, I will ensure that the interest of defence sector is not compromised,” he added.
“From today onwards, the countdown begins… As the target set by Amit Shahji (party president), we have to achieve 26 seats and I am confident and have faith in the people of Goa, that we will win it,” he said.
“During 2012 election, many said people voted for Parrikar and not BJP. But that is not true. Parrikar may be instrumental behind the victory but it was BJP as a whole,” he said adding ‘even today Parrikar is here and sitting in the Centre, I always think about the interest of Goa’.
“We have to fight on all the 40 seats with all the strength by taking along the alliance partners. The talks about alliance will begin only after October 4. We respect our alliance partners, but BJP is also in a position to fight all the 40 seats on its own.
Stating that the party knows how to respect its allies, the former chief minister said that their alliance with MGP is intact and will continue. “When we won 2012 polls, I had 21 MLAs… full majority. Many suggested that I should form cabinet with my MLAs only. But we had assured our alliance partners to give them ministerial berths, including PWD and we fulfilled our promise,” he said.
He said that as part of the campaign, he will visit villages reaching out to the people with the works that the government has done and what it intends to do in the second term.
Taking a dig at the opposition’s move of a Grand Alliance, Parsekar said, “BJP was never hungry for power despite being in opposition for nearly eight years. But the present opponents are not able to resist defeat even for five years. They are so power hungry and desperate to be on the ruling side.”
The Chief Minister also took on AAP. “The party that has no MLA, no zilla panchayat member, no sarpanch is dreaming of winning 35 seats. And on the other hand BJP, which has clear majority in the State and also at the Centre has a target of only 26 seats… see the difference.”
