PANJIM: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has dared the Congress to an open debate on the achievements of former chief minister and present Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar when compared with that of the any Congress chief minister.
Party spokesperson Pramod Sawant’s challenge to the Congress comes a day after All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Girish Chodankar and Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) general secretary Sunil Kawthankar questioned the plans for the Union minister’s grand birthday celebrations and alleged misuse of government machinery.
“I call for a debate to compare the achievements of Parrikar as Goa CM with any Congress CM. The number of public welfare schemes that Parrikar introduced, no Congress CM has achieved,” Sawant said at a press conference on Monday.
Parrikar’s elevation as Defence minister was a proud moment for Goa, the Sankhali MLA said, adding that Congress has no right to raise fingers at the Union minister.
“Neither did he insist for a birthday party anytime before nor he asked for it now. Since it’s his 60th birthday and he is still liked by the people, the celebration is like giving him ‘pavti’ (acknowledgment),” Sawant said in the presence of Panjim Mayor Shubham Chodankar.
The party has termed Congress behaviour as ‘frustration’ claiming it is left with no issues to discuss. In response to Congress’ other remark about donating the money being spent on Parrikar’s birthday bash to the Chennai flood relief, Sawant said, “We have sympathy for the loss of lives in Chennai, and the situation in which the people are living at present. The Centre has already declared relief funds.” He added they will go-ahead with the birthday bash as ‘people have already made preparations’.
