BJP WILL CALL ON GOV SIDDHU TO SACK ATANASIO MONSERRATE

PANJIM: A joint delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party comprising of senior state leaders of the party and members of the BJP legislature wing will call on the Governor, Dr S S Sidhu on April 4 and demand sacking of the Minister for Education, Mr Atanasio Monserrate from the state cabinet for his alleged involvement in smuggling of large foreign currency out of the country on the night of April 2, 2011.

The state president of BJP, Mr Laxmikant Parsekar, addressing a press conference on Sunday at the party headquarters said that the BJP has sought an appointment from the Governor since the government has failed to make any statement as regards the particular issue, even though 24 hours have passed since the Minister for Education was detained by the Customs officials at the Mumbai airport. "It is very irresponsible on the part of the government not to speak on a serious matter," he added.

Speaking further, Mr Parsekar said that the 14 BJP MLAs would strongly raise the issue in the House once it reassembles on March 5. "Our party workers too would take on to the streets demanding the removal of the Minister for Education from the state cabinet," he informed, observing that the movement would continue until Mr Monserrate is moved out of the cabinet.

"The BJP has strong views on the issue and suspects that the money carried by the Minister for Education belonged to him as well as some of the ministers in the state cabinet," the state BJP chief said, further raising a question as to whether a part of the money belonged to the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat. "We are justified in doubting the Chief Minister as the statement made by him on the issue in some local newspapers is very hollow and no statement at all," he pointed out.

Mr Parsekar also alleged that some of the ministers in the state cabinet have either bought hotels in Dubai or purchased apartments in the particular Gulf country. The North Goa MP, Mr Sripad Naik, speaking on the occasion said that he would take up the matter in the Parliament as the same is linked to the issue of black money from India deposited in foreign banks. "The BJP has already demanded that such black money should be brought back to India, for the development of the country," he added, mentioning that the money found on the Minister for Education could very well be the developmental fund earmarked for Goa.