CANACONA
Canacona leader Janardhan Bhandari, who was on Tuesday suspended from the Congress party with effect from June 30 said he was himself in suspense over the reasons for his suspension.
Bhandari initially was reluctant throughout the day to comment on the party’s decision to suspend him but finally opened up on Wednesday night and said: “I have not committed any murder or theft and there is no show-cause notice issued to me. Why and what is the reason for my suspension from the Congress party is a big suspense to me.”
“The media is my examiner and the media knows Jana,” he added.
The Congress party decided to suspend five congress leaders, including Canacona’s Janardhan Bhandari from the party ‘pending enquiry’, without assigning any reason.
The suspension order dated July 25, which has been signed by GPCC President Amit Patkar asks congressmen not to associate/involve with the five suspended persons in any manner whatsoever, pending enquiry, and this order was made public only on Wednesday.
Bhandari, a well-known Congress leader in Canacona and across the State, was the Congress candidate at the last assembly elections.
He has also been involved in frequent agitations, often through unique and innovative means, while also participating in several Congress protests all over the State and particularly in Canacona.
Bhandari was also at the centre of a successful March to protest against the brutality of women in Manipur by Swabhimani Jagruth Canconkars in Canacona on Tuesday.
Recently appointed South Goa District Congress Committee General Secretary Gaspar Coutinho, who was often part of Bhandari’s team during agitations, also refused to comment and said: “As of now, I am not aware of why the party has taken such a big decision. I am trying to contact my superiors to ascertain the reason.”
Efforts to contact GPYC Vice-President Vaishnav Pednekar, another aide of Bhandari, were also futile as Pednekar failed to respond or react to messages sent to him.
