United opposition comprising GFP leader Vikas Bhagat and Congress youth leaders addressing the media at Chaudi.
Photo Credits: Kathy Fernandes
CANACONA
Accusing Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar of deliberately calling Congress leader Janardan Bhandari to his office to humiliate him, the united opposition denounced Tawadkar’s attitude.
Speaking to reporters, Congress Block Youth President Vaishnav Pednekar, who was one of a few to have accompanied Bhandari during his visit to meet Tawadkar at the Government Rest House in Shrishthal, said Bhandari in his memorandum had listed five demands and the road repair from Partagal to Amone, the venue of Lokotsav where the president of India will visit, was the fifth demand.
“The Speaker questioned Bhandari on his memorandum to repair the Partagal to Amone road and wanted to know why Bhandari was so concerned about it when he (Tawadkar) is organising the Lokotsav,” said Pednekar. “When Bhandari responded by saying he has been following up in such matters, two of Tawadkar’s Karyakartas asked Bhandari if he had been submitting memorandums to take credit.
“One of the Karyakartas began hurling abuses at Bhandari, while the speaker continued to insult Bhandari in front of the BJP Karyakartas. We then walked out and this entire episode was recorded as a camera was set up there. They should make that video public,” Pednekar added.
Goa Forward Leader Vikas Bhandari said submitting memorandums has been a part and parcel of democracy and added that the Speaker, who is supposed to be a neutral constitutional authority, had been engaged in party politics. “The BJP Mandal have denied any wrongdoing but an eyewitness here has narrated what had happened. Let the CCTV which captured the footage be made public so that people will know the facts.”
“If the BJP claims that the road work from Partagal to Amone had begun before Bhandari submitted the memorandum, why did they not address a press meet and inform the public that this work had already been taken up,” asked Vikas Bhandari.
Congress Youth leader Cleston Viegas sought to know why the BJP had created an issue with only one point, when Bhandari had mentioned five points in the memorandum. “Have the other works begun or are they completed? Why is the Speaker ignoring the four other demands made in the memorandum?”
BJP Mandal defends Speaker’s action
Amid demands to make public the video of the Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar’s alleged rebuke of Congress leader Janardan Bhandari, a war of words broke out between BJP and united opposition in Canacona over the incident.
The Canacona BJP was quick to deny that Tawadkar had reprimanded Bhandari. Addressing the media at the Government Rest House in Shrishthal, Canacona BJP Mandal President Vishal Dessai said, “Bhandari was fully aware that work to repair the road (Partagal to Amone) has already commenced, but still gave a memorandum to the Speaker and other government authorities start the work with an ultimatum of 7 days,” Dessai said.
“The tender was opened in October 31 and the work was allotted on November 2. When cleaning of road had already begun, Bhandari gave a memorandum to the Speaker’s office on November 8.
“Besides, a number of other works are almost in their final stages of beginning and Bhandari should not take the credit for the works done by Speaker,” added Dessai.
The Mandal members claimed that Bhandari was called by Tawadkar to inform him about the works already taken up in preparation of the President’s visit to Canacona. They stated that Bhandari got infuriated and walked off while displaying a file of his several previous memorandums. “Only this much and nothing more has happened,” said Dessai.
