CANACONA: He went as a devotee to two of Goa’s holiest Hindu shrines but set the narrative on an issue which is always the elephant in the room that has never been eradicated across the era of several governments — corruption.
Abhishekh Bannerjee, MP and party General Secretary, quite clearly the TMC’s most influential leader, second only to his aunt West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee, did meet the heads of two shrines in two different corners of the state. But in the process, he introduced a poll arsenal, missing in the narratives of most other parties- a pledge to give teeth to anti-corruption intuitions.
Leading the charge against corruption, he said, during a conversation, that once there is institutional strength given to anti-corruption institutions, anti-people decisions spanning across environment ecology, coal transportation beyond carrying capacity, will automatically be checked and arrested. “And for this TMC will make sure all resources of the state will be maintained and protected with the help of Goans. It’s time to lead towards a corruption-free Government,
After his meeting with His Holiness Shreemad Vidyadheesh Teerth Shreepad Vader Swamiji at Shri Samsthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math in Canacona taluka, where he discussed TMC’s flagship scheme called Griha Laxmi, he said “Today everyone in Goa is looking & awaits for a new dawn, and with the new year approaching everyone including the locals, common man, leader, politician irrespective for any cast or religion should make sure that individual ( anti-corruption) institutions like the Lokayukta are strengthened and Goa should form a corruption-free Government and people’s Government”, he concluded.
It may be pointed out that at present the Goa Lokayukta only has the powers to recommend but cannot prosecute or ensure that officials and politicians charged with corruption go to trial
He said that the TMC would ensure that the Lokayukta gets all the powers it needs to end institutional corruption
Abhishek Banerjee also interacted with women who had come to register themselves for the Griha Laxmi card and promised them that if the TMC comes to power, the party would implement this flagship scheme within 2 months
At the revered Rudreshwar Temple in Sanquelim today, he warned Goans of ‘divisive forces’ that were desperately trying to tear down the secular fabric of the state by mixing religion with politics. When asked about TMC’s election campaign within the temple premises, he said the visit was not a part of any campaign.” Politics and religion should be kept separate. It is our Faith that brings us here. I pray that we keep this fraternity, peace, and unity, that is the rich multi-cultural legacy of Goa intact.’
