THE GOAN NETWORK
Panaji
Displaying the respective 2019 Panaji bye-election manifestos, AAP Goa Vice-President and Panaji Candidate Valmiki Naik lambasted both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate.
“Out of 175 grand promises made in his manifesto, Babush completed only 5. Similarly out of 45 promises made by the BJP, it was able to complete only 2, despite having a majority government. Major requirements of the city such as municipal market phase-3, smart city development, multi-level parking, etc remain unfulfilled. But BJP government spent crores of money on over-priced and non-critical projects such as Kala Academy renovation and Captain of Ports terminal building,” Valmiki stated at a press conference held in Panaji on Sunday.
He was accompanied by AAP leaders Adv Malisa Simoes and Uma Volvoikar, and city entrepreneur and heritage activist Jack Sukhija.
Stating that the biggest lie of BJP and Babush, however, were their false assurances on the issue of jobs considering that the Monserrate family was in control of the Greater Panaji PDA, Smart City Corporation, CCP, Revenue ministry, IT ministry and Labour ministry, Valmiki demanded to know how many jobs Babush had given Ponnjekars.
“Only a few chamchas of the MLA or relatives of his councillors have got jobs. And of course, Monserrate’s own son was given the plum government post of Mayor, despite not having any experience or merit for the same,” Valmiki said, taking a dig at Babush.
Stating that both the BJP and Babush sensed the overwhelming public anger on this issue, Valmiki alleged that they had thus tried to create a distraction by raking up the PWD job scam a few months before elections.
“Babush’s threat to go to court over the issue was just for media consumption. This man has never gone to court even a single time for the good of the people, he has never filed a PIL over a public issue. AAP leaders have gone to court many times on important issues such as formalin in fish, oxygen shortage during covid, potholes, Terminal building etc. The only time Monserrate has been to court is to appear for crimes such as rape of a 16-year old child, attack on the Panaji police station, or smuggling of foreign currency,” Valmiki mocked.
Valmiki further added that a lack of jobs was the most serious issue facing Ponjekars today and stated that educated and qualified youth are sitting at home unemployed.
He further related various heart-breaking stories of families he encountered during his door-to-door campaign.
“I met a mother whose son applied for more than 60 government posts, and she waited at Babush’s office every week from 10 am to 2 pm for the past six months hoping to get his approval. I met a father who started crying on my shoulder, because his son is suffering from depression after being repeatedly disappointed by BJP and Babush. I met a young boy who quit his studies after 12th Std, because his cousin sister who has completed B.Com accepted an attendant position after many attempts to get a government job, and now has to sweep floors - he said what is the point of studying further if I only have to sweep floors,” Valmiki related.
“BJP and Babush has destroyed not only the future of Panjim’s youth by keeping them unemployed, but also killed their aspirations and hope for a better future by fooling them with the carrot of government jobs,” Valmiki added.
“AAP is the only hope for these youth. It is the only party that is even concerned about these youth, and has a vision and the ability to solve this problem. I call upon all Ponjekars to show the BJP and Babush the consequences of playing with our youth’s future by overwhelmingly voting for AAP on February 14th”, he appealed.
