Team Herald
PANJIM: Failing to get a positive response to its petition seeking relieving the transferred civil service officers, the Congress demanded that Chief Electoral Office (CEO) should take suo motu action.
AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar alleged that Goa government was dodging from its responsibility in order to use these officers to harass the opposition.
“Many officers are transferred and relieved as part of mandatory procedure, but some selected ones are still in Goa because they are mere puppets of the government. The ruling party wants to use them to put pressure and trouble us (Congress). They used the pressure tactic to take some of our leaders into their party fold,” he alleged speaking at a press conference on Friday.
The Congress, however, refused to name the government officers arguing that CEO should take suo-motu, failing which Congress will send a written complaint to the Election Commission. “There are two IPS officers,” he said without naming the officers.
“We had petitioned the Goa government seeking to relieve the transferred officers but in vain. If the CEO does not act, we will submit a formal complaint to the ECI,” he warned.
The Congress party also taunted BJP on their statement that oncoming State legislative assembly election would be referendum on the Medium of Instruction (MOI) issue. “The current MOI policy was drafted by the then Congress-led Goa government.
The same policy has been continued by BJP-led government. So, when they say elections are referendum for MOI, that means they are virtually endorsing Congress party,” he said ridiculing then chief minister Manohar Parrikar’s agenda on the subject.
BJP which is currently facing rebel within its cadre after section of them formed Goa Suraksha Manch had said that the oncoming election would be referendum on MOI issue. The ruling government has been corned by anti-English sections for releasing grants to the English medium schools.
Meanwhile, a comment that could trigger criticism from the ruling camp, AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar asked Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar should undergo treatment over his statement that Goa does not need further development.
“On what basis has he said that Goa does not need development? Many promises like 24X7 water supply, proper water supply to remote areas, 50,00 job creation, unemployment allowance, resolving garbage menace are still unfulfilled. He should get his treatment done at the Goa medical college,” he commented.
