Youth Congress attempts to seal restaurant owned by Irani’s family in Assagao

MAPUSA: The Goa Pradesh Youth Congress (GPYC) on Sunday staged a protest outside the bar and restaurant allegedly owned by Union Minister Smriti Irani’s family at Assagao. 

The Youth Congress members held up placards and shouted slogans, demanding the resignation of the Union Minister. They also attempted to seal the main gate of the bar and restaurant alleging that the excise licence has been obtained by forging documents. 

As the police stopped them, the protestors handed over the lock and keys to the police, requesting them to seal the illegal business premises permanently.

The Youth Congress activists later removed a piece of black tape which was put on the name board to hide the word `Bar’. After removing the tape, Congress spokesman Amarnath Panjikar and GPYC president Varad Mardolkar alleged that the Union Minister was telling lies when she denied that her daughter runs a bar. They demanded the immediate resignation of the Union Minister.  

The activists then went to the back of the property and pulled aside a tarpaulin, which was allegedly put there to cover another name board. The bar and restaurant remained shut throughout the day. A strong police force was deployed there to avoid law and order problems.

Mardolkar demanded an inquiry by the SIT in this matter and also threatened to protest in case the government officer who has issued the show cause notice is transferred. Panjikar demanded that Irani should clarify how the excise licence was granted to a dead applicant by the Excise Department, and further asked the Union Minister ‘to stop telling stories about the Congress Party to divert attention from frauds allegedly committed by her.’