Goa CM Sawant accuses the AAP, TMC of ‘banner pollution’ and defacing Goa’s properties by pasting propaganda leaflets
@the_news_21
Mumbai: Election campaigning in poll-bound state of Goa has been just set on the boil with the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant of diverting the public’s attention by playing the politics of communal divide.
AAP Goa spokesperson Valmiki Naik on Monday said by raking up the issue of temples destroyed by the Portuguese, Sawant was trying to divert attention away from the BJP’s failure in providing jobs, access to education and ensuring health services for the Goan public.
Last week, Sawant had provocatively said that “temples destroyed by the Portuguese need to be rebuilt to preserve Hindu culture”, which led to flak from several opposition parties including the Congress.
Naik remarked, “We Goan’s have always celebrated all festivals in harmony, be it Hindu festivals, or Eid or Christmas…people are asking why is Sawant raising such an issue (of rebuilding destroyed temples) two months before the elections… The answer is that people in Goa are not getting jobs, and that roads and the medical infrastructure are in shambles. Since the BJP does not have an answer to all these questions, it is diverting the public’s attention by raking such non-issues.”
He further added that Sawant’s remarks were a clear indication that the BJP had nothing but a clean-slate to show to the public ahead of the polls.
Naik further remarked, “The point arises as to why did the thought of rebuilding these destroyed temples not occur to the BJP these last 10 years when its government was in power. We condemn Sawant’s statements and the CM give answers to burning questions of the day rather than rebuilding temples.”
AAP leader Advocate Amit Palekar said the BJP ought to stop dividing people on the basis of religion and try resolving vital issues afflicting people like high electricity bills and the problem of garbage dumping which is destroying the heritage of Old Goa.
Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant in turn hit back at the AAP and the Trinamool Congress by accusing both parties of causing ‘Banner Pollution’, adding that the AAP and TMC activists were defacing Goa by pasting propaganda leaflets on public and private property. He further said in a series of tweets that he had directed authorities to act against these stickers pasted by political parties which were defacing properties.
Dr Sawant tweeted, “One of the key differences Goa is witnessing in this election is the Banner Pollution started by the parties of Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee. Pasting stickers on public and private property is blatant disregard for authorities as well as Goa’s beauty.”
“Some of them are already facing complaints for defacement of public property. I have asked the authorities to deal with such menace strictly. I am confident that Goan’s will reject such forces in the upcoming elections,” said the Chief Minister in another tweet.
