PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday appealed to party members not to keep people aside on the basis of caste or religion. If they are isolated, they will come under the influence of ‘Urban Naxals’ operating in Goa, who are trying to divide people on caste and religion lines, he warned.
Addressing the BJP State Morcha office-bearers, Sawant said, “Don’t keep people aside on the basis of caste or religion. If they are isolated, they will come under the influence of ‘Urban Naxals’ operational in the State.
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Citing the example of his Sankhali constituency, Sawant said that every village has a separate Scheduled Caste (SC) ward with 10 to 12 houses, which always remain isolated from other villagers. He asked the party office-bearers to ensure that people from these isolated wards are reached out to, and assimilated with other workers during meetings and other party works.
“If we call them BJP, don’t keep our people aside on the basis of caste or religion,” he asserted.
He further said that the Prime Minister is trying to unify people across the country by focussing on four pillars i.e. mahila shakti, yuva shakti, kisan shakti and garib kalyan. But these ‘Urban Naxals’ are trying to bring unwanted issues to the minds of people and inciting and dividing them of caste and religion.
Sawant also presented the vision of the ‘double engine sarkar’ before the office-bearers of Yuva, Kisan, SC, ST, OBC, Mahila, and Minority Morchas, and urged them to take every benefit of respective sectors to the last mile with the message of Antyodaya.
Reacting to Sawant’s statement, Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao said, “I appeal to CM Pramod Sawant to make public names of `Urban Naxals’ in Goa who are trying to divide the country through caste and religion. What stops him from taking action against them? If he fails to do so, it will be clear that the BJP government is spreading false narratives.”
“’I am not aware what he (CM) is trying to say but he is the Home Minister so he should disclose more about it. What he is talking about. It is easy to make statements but the statements reflect other things also. Like when a Chief Minister says such type of dramatic things the first question comes is that has the union home ministry taken cognisance of this. Is our intelligence aware of this? Announcing this in the media is a serious issue. And I do not think the way he announced it anybody will take it seriously. Though it appears to be a populist statement with political overtones it cannot be taken as a face value. Because these things we have been hearing for a long time on the national stage but have never heard of in Goa. Goa has been ruled by the BJP since 2012 which is more than 10 years. He (Sawant) has been an MLA for the last 10 years and I have never heard of this. How suddenly is this emerging now? I think there has to be a lot of responsibility before one makes such types of statements which have far reaching consequences,” said Vijai Sardesai, Goa Forward Party president and MLA.
“It is the most irresponsible statement coming from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Home portfolio. He should act by identifying so-called ‘Urban Naxals’ because it is well known that anybody playing politics on religion is the Bharatiya Janata Party,” said Trajano D’Mello, Political analyst.
“I think the Chief Minister knows it better because they are in his party. He must have been hanging around with them so he knows about it. When CM makes a statement like this that ‘Urban Naxals’ are in Goa also he has to make a responsible statement. Goa has thrived on communal harmony and not divisive politics. I think the CM, after campaigning in Madhya Pradesh and other places has got the colour of divide and rule. This is not going to be tolerated in Goa. People of Goa are not fools to believe such statements. If he says there are ‘Urban Naxals’ in Goa, he must name them. If he has enough information, then he should name them. The Chief Minister should refrain from making a statement focusing on 2024 elections and believing in divisive politics,” said Adv Amit Palekar, AamAadmi Party State president.
“Whether the statement on ‘Urban Naxals’ or the CM’s statements on the opposition and those who dissent or protest is nothing but an impudence of power. It’s a manifestation of arrogance. The government has failed to protect the interests of the tribal community. The coinage of ‘Urban Naxals’ is to discredit those social leaders and organisations who work for rights of tribals and justice. There is fear that the tribal community will turn hostile. It is in fact, BJP which is perhaps, using religion by bringing Ayodhya and religion in administration & public affairs. They are polarising the democratic society and their propaganda machinery is bombarding the issue,” said Beena Naik, Goa Mahila Congress president.
