PANAJI
Opposition parties in Goa, on Tuesday, rode hard on the shot of adrenaline pumped by former Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik’s explosive comments related to rampant corruption in the state government, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his cabinet, even as some political parties also demanded a judicial probe into the charges levelled by the ex-Governor.
The BJP, meanwhile, resorted to attacking Malik, charging him with impropriety and challenging him to step from the gubernatorial office which he holds in Meghalaya, before levelling accusations against an incumbent government.
On the morning after Malik’s sensational interview to a national news channel in which the former Goa Governor said that corruption was omnipresent in “anything and everything” that the BJP-led coalition government did, the Trinamool Congress was the first off the blocks, with its delegation meeting Governer PS Sreedharan Pillai at Raj Bhavan and submitting a memorandum demanding the sacking of the Chief Minister.
“You must immediately seek resignation from the Chief Minister and announce investigation by an independent agency to allow a fair enquiry,” the party’s national vice president Luizinho Faleiro said.
The Congress also held a press conference fielding its national spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh, who also demanded Sawant’s resignation, but also advocated a judicial probe into Malik’s allegations.
“The PM must immediately dismiss the CM and his entire council of ministers because they are directly involved in massive corruption in the middle of the pandemic. I am not saying it, it is a BJP-appointed Governor making these allegations. The allegations should be investigated by a sitting justice of the Supreme Court,” Vallabh told reporters.
Vallabh also said that in light of Malik’s accusation that corruption was involved in deals related to Covid management affairs during the lockdown, the Chief Minister and his cabinet had the blood of deceased Covid patients on their hands.
“1,77,915 people were infected by the virus. 3,358 people died. Who is responsible for this? It is the responsibility of the state government of Goa,” Vallabh said.
The Aam Aadmi Party also staged a protest meeting at Azad maidan, even as dozens of AAP volunteers were arrested as they marched to the official residence of the Chief Minister at Altinho to demand Sawant’s resignation. Police whisked away the AAP members to the Agassaim police station, where they were charged with unlawful assembly, obstructing government servants and police officials from discharging their official duties.
Congress workers also staged a similar protest in Panaji.
The Goa Forward Party also met the Governor and demanded the dismissal of the Sawant-led government.
The utterances made by Malik, have provided a bushel-full of firepower to the Opposition in Goa ahead of the 2022 state assembly polls.
The Goa BJP, however, chose to attack Malik, while trying to dodge the direct accusations made by the former Governor.
“I only have to say (to Malik) that do not criticise my government while occupying a constitutional post. Resign first and then say whatever you want,” state BJP general secretary Damu Naik told a press conference in Panaji.
Several BJP office bearers also took to social media to vent their ire against Malik. “Haters of Dr Pramod Sawant must recommend Satyapal for BharatRatna! After all, he has given them some matter to harp on! What a service to the nation...” officer on special duty to the Chief Minister, Atmaram Barve said in a Facebook post.
While Rupesh Kamat, who is a functionary in the BJP social media cell, used wordplay to make a point by uploading a post to the social media which said “ASatya Pal”.
