TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Criticising the Church over their pre-poll appeal to elect a secular government, the Communist Party of India (CPI) has accused religious institution of trying to create a communal divide in Goa ahead of the April 12 Lok Sabha elections.
The CPI also accused the BJP, Congress and Church for sowing seeds of communal hatred by using terms like ‘secular’ in the run up to the polls. “BJP and Congress are accusing each other of being communal. In addition, the Church has appealed to the people to vote for secular government. Religious institution statement is nothing but an attempt to communalize the elections. If the situation continues, seeds of hatred would be sown,” CPI North Goa candidate Adv Suhas Naik told media persons Wednesday.
“This will be harmful for the future of Goa where secular fabric has been left untouched with any kind of developments nationally,” Naik said.
Asserting that BJP-led government is against resumption of mining, CPI alleged that a strong RSS lobby opposition to mining forced Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to suspend mining operations in the State. “BJP government is against resumption of mining. There is a strong RSS lobby against mining. The Chief Minister stopped mining owing to pressures from the RSS,” Naik claimed.
Even the religious institutions are against mining, Naik said adding, “During the assembly election circulars were issued by the religious bodies appealing to BJP to shut down mining operations and they would help them to come to power.”
The CPI candidate alleged that Chief Minister, who was under pressure from RSS lobby and religious bodies later realised the implications of mining ban on the State’s economy and livelihood of the people.
CPI has fielded candidates in both the constituencies – Suhas Naik for the Panjim Parliamentary constituency and Adv Raju Mangueshkar for the Mormugao Parliamentary constituency. Both the candidates publicly alleged that the local MLAs along the coastal belts are involved in the drug and prostitution trades.
