MARGAO
Congressmen intending to go to the media or on social media or carry out any protests/agitation can do so only after getting prior approval of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President or Congress Legislature party (CLP) leader Digambar Kamat.
Asserting himself as the head of the party organization, the GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar has issued clear instructions to all office bearers of block committee and frontal organisations, including the Youth Congress, Mahila Congress, Seva Dal and NSUI in this regard.
When The Goan contacted the GPCC Chief to shed light on is office note, Chodankar said the office note has been issued only with the sole purpose of ensuring that the party takes a united stand on any issue.
“There’s no bar on office bearers from expressing their opinion, but the opinion should not be contrary to the party’s stand. Our leaders are free to air their opinions, but in the interest of the party. They should contact either me or the CLP leader before going to the media or staging a protest,” he added.
Congress three-time MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, however, has condemned the instructions, saying the GPCC Chief is acting like the BJP in a democratic organization such as the Congress.
He said the GPCC Chief has directly contradicted party top leaders in Delhi, who have stated that the party believes in dissent. “The GPCC thinks that he is the boss and the workers should listen to him. He has acted like the BJP which recently warned government servants against protests. I do not know whether our party president thinks that our workers are like government servants,” he added.
In the office note, Chodankar said it has been observed in the recent past that many office bearers have been found speaking to the media either against the interest of the party or by not following the party line. He further pointed out that it has been observed in some cases that certain actions resulted in sentiments of certain sections of society getting hurt.
