Pramod Sawant calls all-party meet, GFP asks ‘is it a photo-op’

PANAJI: After a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases in the state, chief minister Pramod Sawant has called an all-party meeting on Monday to discuss the issue. The meeting, at 4pm, will be the first all-party meet since March. Opposition parties have been targetting Sawant over his government’s failure to tackle the Covid-19 situation.
Leader of opposition Digambar Kamat said that the Congress’ stand is clear — community testing and financial support to the marginalised sector with strict austerity measures is the only way to go forward.
“Will insist @goacm to walk the talk during the all-party meeting tomorrow. Not the time to celebrate!” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai wondered if the meet is a case of too little too late. “After 300 confirmed cases in Goa, and after fiascos including the Labourgate scam, the Goa CM belatedly convenes an all-party meet tomorrow (Monday) at 4pm,” he tweeted. “Is it too little too late? Or (is it) just a photo-op to show that all (of us) were taken into confidence? Or plain sharing responsibility for failure?” However, Sardesai said he would attend the meeting.
Later, speaking to TOI, Sardesai said that even as the government permitted places of worship to open from Monday, neither Hindus, Muslims nor Christians are following it, instead deciding to postpone the reopening.
Sardesai also said that SOP stands for Sawant operating procedure, not standard operating procedure, adding that when there hardly any cases, the state borders were sealed. Then, borders were opened, he said. “After messing up the situation, Sawant has called an all-party meeting,” he said.