‘If Babu is corrupt he should be punished else Parrikar has to go the masses seeking an apology’

HERALD: Why is the Congress silent over the issue of its prominent leaders are being targeted?

CHODANKAR: We are not soft, we have questioned the government on the timing of the issue and our party president along  with our MLAs have spoken but we also wanted to give a fare time to the law. It should not look as if we are blocking the law. We have full trust and confidence in law and judiciary and we want the truth to come out. If Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar is guilty of some wrong-doing, he deserves punishment but at the same time Babu should not be targeted just because he is opposing the government. 

Manohar Parrikar does not have a moral authority to speak on corruption, honestly because he has embraced all those corrupt people whom he once had issued a certificate and painted them as corrupt. Parrikar should first clean his house.

HERALD: The Cong has said this is a kind of harassment meted out towards Congress’ prominent leaders?

CHODANKAR: This has been the tactic of Manohar Parrikar. In 2002,  he targeted Godinho and Juwarkar and then later Madkaikar and Rane to build his political capital. People of Goa are not fools to fall in that trap again.

HERALD:  Why do you say your laders are blackmailed when it is a clear case of disproportionate assets?

CHODANKAR: The Government and its Cabinet are themselves  involved in corruption and the report of Lokayukta is out on beach cleaning scam on which the government is sitting. So it looks like a hypocrisy that the corrupt government is using corruption as a weapon to silence the Opposition. Some young leaders in our party have decided to take on this government by exposing corruption.

HERALD: Do you think Babu is involved in such a huge matka nexus?

CHODANKAR: I am not Parrikar to give certificate of corruption or honesty to anyone. The matter is under investigation and the truth will come out soon. If Babu is corrupt he should be punished else Parrikar has to go the masses seeking an apology. I only hope this will not become an attempt to scam.

HERALD: Will the Congress take any decision over the issue of leader of opposition and his alleged involvement in matka nexus?

CHODANKAR: The Congress has always exhibited action. Whenever some serious corruption issues have come up either in Delhi or Goa against our leaders, we have take suo motu action either in the form of removing them or suspending them unlike the BJP which has embraced only corrupt leaders.