Panaji, Oct 11 (TOI): Accusing the Manohar Parrikar-led government of “rampant corrupt practices”, thousands of Congress workers marched through the capital on Wednesday in protest against the state government’s policies.
The three-hour long protest march—Anti-Corruption Zagor—began from Bandodkar football ground and culminated in a massive public meeting at Azad Maidan. Addressing the gathering, senior Congress functionaries spelled out what they claimed were instances of corruption within the coalition government.
According to rough estimates, around 2,500 party workers trudged into the capital and a heavy police posse was deployed to maintain law and order.
“This government took votes and formed the government under the slogan ‘zero tolerance to corruption’ but after that they forgot their promise,” said Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar.
Congress MLAs also used the opportunity to urge people to repose their trust in the Congress and to support the party when it came to power in the state. The MLAs and ministers repeatedly insisted that the coalition government was making money through the Outline Development Plan (ODP), Regional Plan 2021, construction of bridges and roads, infrastructure projects for water and power supply and through rental private buildings for government offices.
“Instead of building the third Mandovi bridge this government should have spent the same money to complete the South Goa district hospital. All that we see today is the building being painted,” former chief minister and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat said.
As a symbol of the government’s misdeeds, Congress workers carried around seven coffins on their head with the names of the government’s alleged scams. The mock coffins were displayed at Azad Maidan during the entire public rally.
Opposition leader Chandrakant Kavlekar also addressed the gathering and repeated the charge that the existing government was corrupt and required to be removed. “This government is in ICU and is taking people for granted,” he said.
The Congress also pointed out that despite Parrikar personally making allegations of corruption against Congress leaders, the government had failed to prove a single charge.