Goa (Panaji) [India], April 26 (ANI): The Congress party on Friday lodged a complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and several other Bharatiya Janata Party figures for allegedly spreading “misinformation” about its South Goa candidate Viriato Fernandes.
In the three-page written complaint, Goa Congress President Amit Patkar filed a Complaint before Chief Electoral Officer Ramesh Verma.
“By the present complaint, we wish to bring to your kind notice a serious violation of the Model Code of Conduct by the members of the Bharatiya Janta Party and request immediate action in respect of the same. As you are aware Capt. Viriato Fernandes is our candidate for the General Election to the Lok Sabha 02 – South Goa parliamentary constituency. Certain persons belonging to the Bharatiya Janta Party are deliberately spreading mis- misinformation in the context of the speech made by our candidate. The said persons are attempting to twist and misinterpret the speech of our candidate to suggest that our candidate has disrespected the Constitution and/or to suggest that our candidate does not have respect for our Constitution,” the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee stated.
The letter further said that Fernandes is a war veteran who interalia served during the Kargil war and obviously has the highest respect for the Constitution.
“The speech of our candidate is sought to be twisted and read out of context, without even attempting to understand the context in which it was made i.e. in the context of demand for dual citizenship. The video of the speech which is sought to be misinterpreted and used for spreading of misinformation is in the public domain and if required we will furnish a copy of the same,” it stated.
Patkar also accused PM Modi of maliciously projecting Fernandes’ speech as disrespectful towards the Constitution during a speech in Chhattisgarh.
“It is pertinent to note that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also the party to the spread of such misinformation. The Prime Minister in a public speech in Chhattisgarh in the context of the speech of the candidate Capt. Viriato Fernandes, also very maliciously projected as if the speech of our candidate was to disrespect the Constitution of India,” it stated.
“The members of the Bharatiya Janta Party including 1) Dr. Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of State of Goa; 2) Sadanand Shet Tanavade, State President of BJP, 3) Mauvin Godhino, MLA of Dabolim constituency 4) Sankalp Amonkar, MLA of Mormugao Constituency; 5) Daji Salkar, MLA of Vasco constituency; 6) Digambar Kamat, MLA of Margao constituency 7) Damu Naik, State General Secretary BJP; are amongst the persons who have indulged in the spread of misinformation and such spread of misinformation is with an intend to create hatred and enmity amongst the people,” it added.
Congress demanded immediate action against PM Modi, Goa CM and other leaders.
Earlier on April 23, Strongly refuting Congress allegations that BJP would change the Constitution if returned to power, Prime Minister Modi attacked the opposition party over remarks of its south Goa candidate pertaining to constitutional provisions coming into force in the coastal state following its liberation in 1961 and said this is “insult of India’s Constitution and of Baba Sahab Ambedkar.”
PM Modi referred to the reported remarks of Congress MP DK Suresh in February this year that there is a possibility of a proposal of a separate nation of the southern states if they do not get the due share of taxes from the Centre. The Prime Minister also referred to reports of remarks of Captain Viriato Fernandes, Congress candidate from South Goa, that the Indian Constitution was “forced” upon Goans after it was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961.
“Congress has now started another big game. First, the Congress MP from Karnataka said that South India will be declared a separate country and now the Congress candidate from Goa is saying that the country’s Constitution does not apply to Goa, the country’s Constitution was imposed on Goa and he has told this to Congress ‘Shehzada’ (Rahul Gandhi). This means the leader gave his silent consent. This is a deliberate move to break the nation. This is an insult of India’s Consitution and Baba Saheb Ambedkar,” PM Modi said.
At a corner meeting in South Goa, Fernandes recalled a conversation he had on ‘dual citizenship’ with Rahul Gandhi in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 and stated that Congress leader had expressed that the demand would not be considered if it is unconstitutional. The Congress candidate also talked of India’s Constitution being “forced” on Goans, noting that Goa was not part of India when the Constitution was implemented.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also hit out at Congress’ South Goa’s candidate over his remarks pertaining to the Constitution.
“I am appalled by the comments from Congress’s South Goa candidate claiming the Indian Constitution was forcefully imposed upon Goans. Our freedom fighters believed wholeheartedly that Goa is an inseparable part of India. Congress delayed Goa’s liberation by 14 years. Now, their candidate dares to undermine the Indian Constitution? Congress must stop this reckless Bharat Todo politics immediately. Congress is a threat to our democracy,” the Goa Chief Minister posted on X. (ANI)
