PANAJI
The startling allegation of widespread corruption including a hefty payoff (Rs 15-20 lakh) to a serving minister made by former minister and ruling BJP leader Pandurang Madkaikar has sparked sharp reactions from several ministers who have asked him to name the rogue minister.
Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho was the first to react to Madkaikar's allegations on Wednesday saying he should report it to the police and name the minister.
Godinho, who was speaking to the media on the sidelines of an event in Panaji, also said: "Pandurang Madkaikar was a former minister. They should not throw stones at the glass house. In a democracy, you have to be careful when exercising your freedom of expression."
Godinho also said that he (Madkaikar) should report the matter to the police and name the minister concerned.
"I advise Madkaikar not to throw stones at the glass house. If he feels that something wrong has happened, he should file a complaint with the police. He should also tell who that minister is. But he is not doing that," Godinho said.
Madkaikar, a four-term MLA from Cumbahrjua, has served in multiple cabinets of both the BJP and the Congress. During the last of his four terms as legislator (2017-22), he suffered a stroke at a Mumbai hotel which partially maimed him, forcing him to quit the cabinet of the late Manohar Parrikar, and has since sat out on the sidelines of State politics, although he continues to be part of the ruling BJP.
On Wednesday, in a rare interaction with the audio-visual media persons, Madkaikar said on camera that ministers are busy "only counting money. I myself have paid one minister Rs 15-20 lakh."
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said Madkaikar has not made any allegation against him, sternly retorting to a journalist's claim that the former minister had made corruption allegations against him. “He has not made any allegations against me,” Sawant asserted.
Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, was yet another minister who reacted to Madkaikar's allegation saying whoever the minister he is referring to must be named.
"Mr Madkaikar should name the minister who has asked him for money. Whether he really asked him for the money, the concerned minister should then clarify," Monserrate, known to be close to Madkaikar, said.
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Opposition slams government
Wading into the controversy following Madkaikar's allegations, Opposition parties slammed the government for encouraging corruption at the top and demanded that an FIR be registered based on the video footage of the former minister's allegations.
The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demanded that an FIR be registered and the police investigate the matter. Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao said, the allegations made by the former minister are very serious and the truth about who this minister is who is involved in taking bribes must be investigated.
Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and Fatorda MLA, Vijai Sardesai also reacted sharply to Madkaikar's allegations calling it a "mini bomb".
He said, if the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) of the Goa Police or the Vigilance department does not take any action on it then it will be proof that this BJP government has accepted that it has normalised corruption and bribe-taking in which they do not even spare their own ex-MLAs and ministers from paying up.
