Governor must stop malpractices in name of Covid-19: Goa Congress

PANAJI: Unfazed by governor Satya Pal Malik’s validation of the efforts of chief minister Pramod Sawant, Congress party reiterated its stand that the state government is defective.
State Congress president Girish Chodankar also side-stepped Malik’s call for the opposition to work hand-in-hand with the government and instead said that Malik’s silence on the Congress allegations about corruption within the BJP had vindicated the opposition’s stand.
Going one step further, Chodankar said that the governor must use his constitutional authority and ask for files pertaining to procurement of various testing kits, mobile apps and other equipment during the lockdown period. Chodankar also asked Malik to call for all the files of scams where the Lokayukta has identified lapses and “defects” of the BJP-led state government.
“Congress party reiterates our stand that Sawant-led government is defective and the past records will confirm that it is only after the governor’s intervention that the administration has become effective on various issues,” said Chodankar.
To illustrate its point, Chodankar said that visible defects are hoarding of essential commodities by BJP ministers and MLAs, the decision to shut grocery shops in the first few days of the lockdown against MHA guidelines, defective approach towards repatriating seafarers, procurement of defective Covid-19 testing kits, decision to hold SSC examinations and a precarious financial position.
“The governor should ask the chief minister to speak on various defects brought to light by cabinet ministers like Manohar Ajgaonkar, Michael Lobo, and others about drugs, prostitution and bribes in Goa,” said Chodankar.
He said that the Congress party has supported the government’s efforts to combat the novel coronavirus since the start with opposition leader Digambar Kamat making valuable suggestions.
“Unfortunately, the chief minister Sawant completely sidelined the opposition parties,” said Chodankar.