Panaji: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) faced criticism after a poster at the Statehood Day event on 30 May did not include a photo of party national president Mallikarjun Kharge. The ruling BJP accused Congress of ‘disrespecting and sidelining’ its Dalit leader. The poster showed Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, state Congress chief Amit Patkar, and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao — but left out Kharge.
Kharge was due to attend a public meeting in Navelim, South Goa, which was cancelled because of heavy monsoon rains. The Goa BJP shared the poster on social media, calling the omission deliberate and saying Congress humiliated its Dalit president. Goa Congress chief Amit Patkar said it was a mistake and pointed out Kharge’s photo was on other posters across the city during the celebrations.
