Files petition against Muthalik
Changes spokespersons
Accuses Power Minister of apathy
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Congress party Saturday filed a petition before the North Goa SP Priyanka Kashyap against the clean chit given to the Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik, sacked some spokespersons, including seniors like Jitendra Deshprabu and Manohar Babu Azgaokar, appointed new ones and attacked the government on the power failure issue – all in one day.
The party also criticized the recent rail hike by the union ministry. All this a day after the party was asked whether it was all bark and no bite and portrayed as a faction ridden, gutless as well as toothless party.
Saturday the Congress party demanded that Goa government sack its Power Minister Milind Naik for failing to solve power crisis in the State while also alleging massive fraud in the power department. The state has been suffering from power shortages for almost two months now.
At a press conference on Saturday, party secretary Sunil Kawthankar alleged that Naik was holidaying in Switzerland with his family when Goans were facing major power problems.
“He (Naik) is not interested to solve power failure issues. How could he enjoy his vacation in Switzerland… travel to Europe when local people are suffering power cuts for several hours every day? Government should sack him,” he demanded.
Kawthankar also accused the power minister of being involved in a massive power scam, but refused to disclose details.
Tagging him as an ‘irresponsible’ minister, the party spokesman also pointed out complete collapse of the power department in the wake of the present situation.
Another party spokesman Urfan Mulla ridiculed BJP’s Lok Sabha campaign and criticised the Narendra Modi government’s recent decision to increase rail passenger fares by 14.2 percent and freight charges by 6.5 percent with effect from June 25.
In a sudden move, the Congress party also replaced four spokespersons who are senior leaders with new faces. Jitendra Deshprabhu, Dr Pramod Salgaonkar, Babu Azgaonkar and Adv Atanasio Monteiro were shown the door through an order issued by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Chief John Fernandes.
They have been replaced by Shambhu Bhau Bandekar, Dr Ulhas Parab, Sankalp Amonkar and Vijay Bhike.
While four young spokespersons Advocate Pratima Coutinho, Sunil Kawthankar, Urfan Mulla and Durgadas Kamat’s have been retained. They will also be a part of the GPCC panel.
“The old panel of spokespersons stands dissolved and the new panel will be in force until further order,” the Congress press statement reads.
