CM slams Vijai’s comments; Venzy defends his remarks; Sudin says no CM can be compared to Bhausaheb; Cong calls for Oppn unity
PANAJI
A row erupted afresh on Wednesday over the Opinion Poll Day remarks of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA, Venzy Viegas during an event likening Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s trait to support development of schools in Opposition represented constituencies to what Goa’s first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar did by building schools in Salcete despite it rejecting his ‘merger’ proposition.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant lashed out at Fatorda MLA, Vijai Sardesai who on Tuesday had described Bhausaheb Bandodkar as being opposed to the distinct identity of Goa while criticising Viegas’ comparison of the two.
Sawant took to social media to condemn Sardesai’s claim as a gross insult to Bandodkar, the first Chief Minister of Goa.
“I unequivocally condemn this anti-Bhausaheb and anti-Goa rhetoric in its entirety. Such remark is disrespect to the very spirit of Goa,” Sawant wrote on his ‘X’ account.
“Bhausaheb was a towering figure who tirelessly championed Goa’s identity and development. The real problem lies with Vijai Sardesai and his inflated ego which fuels his delusion that individuals like him are somehow more Goan than others,” Sawant added in his post.
On Tuesday, Sardesai had criticised Viegas’ remarks and had gone on to say that the only similarity between Bandodkar and Sawant was their allergy to Goa’s identity (asmitai) which he said was evident from the government’s failure to celebrate Opinion Poll Day despite assurance in the Assembly.
Sardesai also criticised Viegas’ remarks calling his comparison of Sawant’s work in Opposition represented constituencies to the schools established by Bandodkar in Salcete as “superficial”.
Viegas also reacted to Sardesai’s comments saying the Fatorda MLA forgot Goa’s ‘asmitai’ for power when he took a U-turn to install a BJP government in 2017.
“Vijai Sardesai just speaks and his criticism of the government is only lip-service. In reality he is in league with the government, getting his personal land converted,” Viegas said.
Meanwhile, with the arguments getting heated up, Congress spokesperson Sunil Khautankar urged members of the Opposition to exercise restraint.
“A divided Opposition is advantage Goa BJP,” Khautankar said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Power Minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar waded in with his own take on the issue.
Dhavalikar said no chief minister of the State can be compared to Bhausaheb who was the founder of his Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.
“I don’t know what the motive of Vijai Sardesai is. We are first Indians, then Goans. Bandodkar had immense pressure by top (MGP) leaders of that era. We cannot blame Bandodkar and move forward. We cannot compare any CM of Goa with Bandodkar,” Dhavalikar said in a reaction to the controversy.
