Headlines
Congress attacks Parrikar over 'ghar-wapsi' comment
Panaji, Feb 11
The Congress in Goa Wednesday
hit out at Manohar Parrikar over his comments published in the media
about the controversial 'ghar-wapsi' programme, where the former state
chief minister was quoted as saying that the re-conversion programme
"could never touch Goa".
The Congress now claims that Parrikar's
alleged comments made to the Goan Catholic Welfare Union and reported in
the media Tuesday, confirmed that the re-conversion programme was being
calibrated by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
"When he gives
an assurance that ghar-wapsi 'could never touch Goa', that means a
programme like this does exist and the BJP is pushing it. Or else, how
can he claim to control it," Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar said
at a press conference at the party's headquarters in Panaji.
The local media had published the comments along with a press statement issued by the Catholic union Tuesday.
"Parrikar
said he will take up the Delhi church issue with the union home
minister (Rajnath Singh) and with respect to 'ghar-wapsi', he assured it
could never touch Goa," he said.
Parrikar's assurance, as
published in the media, comes ahead of the forthcoming Panaji assembly
by-election, which was necessitated after the former Goa chief minister
was elevated to the union cabinet as defence minister by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
While the 1.5 million population in Goa includes
around 26.5 percent Catholics, Panaji too has a significant number of
Catholic voters.
Kawthankar also said Parrikar should have made the comments against 'ghar-wapsi' at the national level where it mattered.
"BJP
MPs, party supporters and the RSS cadre have been actively speaking for
ghar-wapsi, so what stops Parrikar from opposing it at the national
level where it matters? Why should his assurance be limited to Goa
alone," Kawthankar said.
Four candidates are contesting the Feb
13 by-poll. They include Parrikar's former aide Sidharth Kunkolienkar
(of the BJP), current mayor Surendra Furtado (Congress) and two
independents.