Tags:
Journalism of Courage
BJP demanded Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to sack Education Minister Monserrate,who was detained at the Mumbai airport on Saturday for allegedly carrying unaccounted Indian and foreign currency,and said the party will not allow the Assembly to function till he is dropped.
Kamat should make a statement on the issue,explaining why his minister was going to Dubai with such a huge amount of cash,Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar told reporters here.
“When state Legislative Assembly is in session,any minister,before leaving the station (country),should take permission from the Chief Minister,and also inform the Speaker,” Parrikar said.
He said Kamat should state whether Monserrate had obtained such a permission,and why he was going abroad.
Parrikar demanded the Chief Minister to dismiss the minister,or ask him to resign before Tuesday,when Assembly will be in session after a Gudhi Padwa holiday on Monday.
The issue would be raised in the Assembly if state government failed to drop Monserrate,he said.
“We (BJP members) are meeting again to chart our course of action,” Parrikar said.
BJP Goa unit president,Laxmikant Parsekar demanded that Customs should declare exactly how much cash the minister was carrying.
“He is a Congress minister. The party has a government at the Centre,in Maharashtra and also in Goa. There is every possibility that the matter would be pushedunder the carpet,” Parsekar said.
He alleged that attempts were already on to downplay the offence.
“But it would be difficult to save him as the money that he was carrying is much beyond the permissible limits,” he added.
Parsekar also demanded inquiry into frequent trips of Goa ministers to destinations such as Dubai. “This minister was heading for Dubai. Chief Minister should tell why his ministers fly so often to Dubai.”
He claimed that there were two more persons along with Monserrate on their way to Dubai. “One is detained along with him while the other one has already reached Dubai.”
