Had to intervene as Goans stopped eating fish: Parrikar

Vartha Bharati | 15-07-2018 | 16:45:00 IST

Panaji, July 15 : Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday said he had to intervene in the ongoing controversy over the use of formalin in preserving fish, because people in the coastal state have stopped eating fish.

"Yesterday, I was kept quiet. But since fish is a staple food, I had to say that 'Don't worry, I am monitoring myself'. I think that was required, because people stopped eating fish. How can Goans live without fish?" Parrikar queried at a conference here.

After a raid on outstation fish consignments, Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials last week claimed that formaldehyde, a powerful disinfectant used to preserve corpses, was used to preserve fish.

The controversy snowballed after Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai tweeted that the fish was fit for consumption, following which the FDA in a statement said that the chemical was "within permissible limits".

Fish markets over the last few days wore a desolate look following the controversy.

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Kharge expresses regret over 'illiterate' remark, says he has highest of respect for Gujaratis

08-04-2026 ¦ 08-04-2026 IST

Photo: Mallikarjun Kharge (PTI)

New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed regret over his controversial statement calling the people of Gujarat "illiterate", and said he has always had and will continue to have the highest of respect for the people of the state.

In a post on X, the Congress president said, "Some remarks of mine in a recent election speech in Kerala are being deliberately misinterpreted. Even so, I express my sincere regret.

"It was never my intention to hurt the sentiments of the people of Gujarat for whom I have always had and will continue to have the highest of respect."

Kharge on Sunday had sparked a row during his Assembly poll campaign in Kerala, calling the people of Gujarat "illiterate" and claiming they were being "fooled" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At the same time, Kharge said neither Modi nor Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan could fool the people of Kerala, describing them as "very clever and educated".

"Don’t misguide the people of Kerala. They are very clever and educated. Modiji, Vijayan, you both can fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or other places, but you cannot fool the people of Kerala," the Congress chief had said.

He made the remark while alleging that both Modi and Vijayan were following the same path, with no difference between them except the parties they lead.

The BJP on Tuesday had demanded an apology from Kharge for his remarks, saying that the comment was "shameless, demeaning and utterly despicable."

Addressing a press conference here, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asked Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to clarify whether they agreed with Kharge's statement.