PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant after initially deterring finally broke his silence on Saturday over the controversy generated by the comments made by his cabinet Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate earlier in the week which were directed critically at former chief minister, late Manohar Parrikar, vis-a-vis Panaji's developmental issues and ongoing smart city work.
"Manohar Bhai Parrikar is a great leader not only of Goa but of the country. He has contributed a lot in the development of Panaji, Goa and the country. Therefore, small time politicians should not use his name for petty personal politics," Sawant said at a function on Saturday.
Over the last few days, the chaotic execution of the Smart City work in the capital city had become a battle ground to exchange barbs between the former chief minister's son Utpal and Monserrate.
Utpal had hit out at Monserrate calling him "incompetent, corrupt and indifferent" to the problems of Panjimites in the wake of the chaos caused by the Smart City work, a couple of days after Ribandar youth Ayush Halarnkar rode his bike into a pit and died.
In a riposte, Monserrate threw a challenge to Parrikar junior inviting him to face him in the next assembly poll in 2027. The two were direct rivals for the Panaji seat in the 2022 assembly elections.
The public spat meanwhile upset a section of the BJP karyakatas and functionaries but other than party spokesperson Giriraj Pai Vernekar, a known Parrikar acolyte, no other leader ventured to comment on the critique of the former chief minister, counted among the saffron party's tall national leaders.
With his statement on Saturday, Sawant may be hoping to sooth the tempers of cadres who were upset.
