TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Congress party demanded that Health Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Art and Culture Minister Dayanand Mandrekar should both be sacked, if they don’t step down.
While Parsekar is alleged to be involved in the blood testing scam in the Goa Medical College, Mandrekar has been accused of protecting Oxel sarpanch Rama Parab in an illegal gratification case.
Spokesman Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco alleged a nexus at a press conference Monday saying, “The private laboratory agents in the GMC are collecting blood samples when the facility is in fact available free of cost for the patients. There is a nexus,” he said.
Lourenco had made similar allegations during the recently concluded Legislative Assembly Session, which Parsekar had dismissed, claiming these were not substantiated by the opposition benches.
A local news channel subsequently exposed the GMC-private laboratories nexus last weekend.
“It is clear now that such things do happen. There is a nexus. Parsekar should resign or chief minister Manohar Parrikar should sack him,” he demanded. He also alleged that the government is insensitive towards such issues.
The Congress also demanded that the government appoint a new Lokayukta within seven weeks failing which they will resort to a one-day hunger strike. It also demanded the immediate appointment of an information commissioner.
Alleging Art & Culture Minister Dayanand Mandrekar’s inefficiency as minister, the Congress demanded his resignation as well.
The spokesman has also accused him of protecting Oxel sarpanch Rama Parab in the illegal gratification case, a complaint of which has been filed with the Vigilance Department. Parab faces another allegation for not providing income certificates to people.
