Held accountable for leaking WC ‘study tour’ file; demoted to Deputy Director
FRANCIS X RIBEIRO
francis@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: In what is apparently seen as a fall out of the media bashing of the Manohar Parrikar-led government over the Rs 89 lakh ministers’ and MLAs’ junket to Brazil for the World Cup, Director of Sports and Youth V M Prabhudessai has been reverted as Deputy Director of Sports and Youth Affairs.
The virtual demotion, sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said, came since Prabhudessai is held responsible for leaking the Brazil tour file to a section of the press, causing not only a huge national, but also an international embarrassment to the Manohar Parrikar government.
Until Saturday, Prabhudessai was Director of Sports and Youth Affairs (DYSA) and was also holding charge as executive director of the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG).
On Monday, Sandeep Jacques returned from long leave to take charge as executive director of SAG.
Rumours were rife last week that Prabhudessai and Arjuna awardee Bruno Coutinho may have to bear the brunt of the file leakage to a national daily.
With the return of Jacques, the ball was set rolling and an order reverting Prabhudessai as deputy Director of DYSA was issued on Tuesday.
According to the order issued by the Personnel Department, Y B Tavde, Chief Officer of Mormugao Municipal Council will now take charge as director of sports and youth affairs.
Those who were cleared by the Parrikar government for the `study tour’, to travel to FIFA Soccer World Cup at Brazil were Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado, Power Minister Milind Naik, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida, Velim MLA Benjamin Silva and Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo.
According to our sources, Bruno is also being held responsible to have leaked the file to a national daily at the behest of Prabhudessai.
It may be recalled that Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar on assuming office, made sure that Dr Susan de Souza was sidelined and Prabhudessai was handed over charge as Director of Sports and Youth Affairs.
Sources say this is a clear warning from the government, that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar leads the call in the Sports Ministry and more heads are expected to roll.
Faced with media and public outrage and mockery, six Goa MLAs and ministers have now decided to keep the trip personal, and funded at their own expense, as they were too embarrassed to continue on the jaunt at the cost of the public exchequer.
