PANAJI
Goa Forward Party supremo and TCP Minister, Vijai Sardesai faced a grim political attack from within his own party when vice-president and chief spokesperson Trajano D'Mello shot off a letter to him flagging his 'silence' over the 'harassment' of FDA officer Iva Fernandes.
In his letter sent on October 5, D'Mello questioned Sardesai's silence and accused him of abetting the 'mental torture' of the upright officer who conducted the first test on the formalin-laced fish on July 12.
"The people of Goa have seen your negative role in backing the fish mafia much to the ire of the people," D'Mello said in his letter, adding that GFP are openly being charged not of backing 'Goem, Goemkar, Goemkarponn' but 'Fot, Fotting, Fottingponn'.
D'Mello said the silence of the Party President is nothing short of abetting the persecution of the 'whistleblower'.
"My conscience appeals to your conscience to clarify your position on this matter, failing which it would mean that in your greed you have lost the sensitivity of Goem, Goemkar, Goemkarponn and nakedly embracing Fot, Fotting, Fottingponn," D'Mello said in his letter sent by email to Sardessai on October 5.
An articulate and politically experienced spokesperson, D'Mello had remained silent over the last few months and was reportedly unhappy with the power play in the Sardessai-led party.
D'Mello however did not say whether he would quit the party but asked Sardesai to reply to his letter which he released to the media on Monday evening.
GFP threatens disciplinary action for 'anti-party activities'
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
Completely taken by surprise after the Goa Forward chief spokesman Trajano D’Mello’s letter to party chief Vijai Sardesai on the formalin episode earlier in the day, the Goa Forward party leadership was quick to treat Trajano’s outbursts against the party supremo as anti-party activities.
In fact, Goa Forward vice president, Dilip Prabhudesai pointed out that the party is sending a show cause notice to Trajano as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him for anti-party activities.
Trajano’s critical letter addressed to the party supremo has come on a day when the TCP Minister along with Health Miniter Vishwajit Rane, Fisheries Minister Vinoda Paliencar along with Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma and other senior officials met at the Matanhy Saldanha complex and decided to rope in an international agency to strengthen the mechanism to check the import of fish laced with formalin.
As Trajano's letter, attacking the party supremo on the alleged harassment meted out to FDA Officer Iva Fernandes threatened to overshadow the decisions taken at the meeting, the Goa Forward leadership was quick to respond to the allegations made by the Chief Spokesman, with party vice-President Dilip Prabhudesai seeking to blame the Congress, saying it is obvious that the Goa Congress is on a recruitment drive and that the habitual deserters and "jumping jacks" are being offered "packages”.
“Trajano's pathetic alibi to mask his act of betrayal as a protest against the supposed harassment of Iva Fernandes is a hollow attempt to justify his sell out and probable 6th gharwapsi to the Grand Old Party,” Dilip said in his reaction, saying the Goa Forward Party is in no way connected with the FDA department and the officer Iva Fernandes and the supposed harrassment that he mentions.
Terming Trajan’s outbursts against the party supremo as anti-party activities, Dilip said that a show cause is being issued to the vice-president, to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him.
