PANJIM: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) general secretary Amarnath Panjikar on Sunday alleged that the drug trade in Goa is flourishing with the blessings of BJP Government.
Addressing a press conference in the presence of former MLA Agnelo Fernandes, Janardhan Bhandari and Adv Varad Mardolkar, Panjikar said, “The BJP which raised questions on the photographs of Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and Congress Leader Adv Ramakant Khalap with Kapil Jhaveri clicked at a public function at a public place should now come clean on the photos of Aldona MLA Glenn Ticlo, ex-MP Narendra Sawaikar, former Minister Ramesh Tawadkar with Kapil Jhaveri.”
The BJP at a press conference on Friday had alleged that the person by name Prakash Velip who is now associated with the said Kapil Jhaveri is an associate of Margao MLA and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat.
“The Congress accepts the fact that Prakash Arjun Velip was the private secretary to the then Chief Minister Digambar Kamat from 2007 to 2012. But, we want to remind Dattaprasad Naik that the former Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar had admitted one Prakash Velip in BJP after 2012. The photographs of the said Prakash Velip with BJP leaders like Amit Shah, late Manohar Parrikar, Smriti Irani, Vinay Tendulkar, Narendra Sawaikar, Ramesh Tawadkar and various other BJP leaders are now available on various social media platforms,” he said.
He said the BJP who accused Congress of spreading lies must first answer to their own party member and former MLA Kiran Kandolkar who questioned whether former CM Manohar Parrikar was a liar to accuse Roy Naik’s involvement in drug mafia.
“It may be noted that the Tirumala Tirupati Multi –State Credit Society opened its branches in Goa during the BJP regime. It is only because of the vested interest of the BJP leaders that the said credit society was allowed to open ten branches in Goa. The BJP must explain to the people on what basis permissions were granted to the said credit society,” he said.
“We also demand that a high level judicial inquiry should be ordered into the alleged connections of all the politicians whose photographs have appeared with the said Kapil Jhaveri. Let the truth prevail,” Panjikar demanded.
