Kejriwal claims Goa Congress chief involved in mining with CM’s ‘blessings’; he rejects it
Panaji (PTI): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday alleged that Goa Congress chief Amit Patkar runs mining business with the “blessings” of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, drawing a sharp rebuttal by the Congress leader.
Rubbishing the claim, Patkar asserted that his family’s mining business had existed for generations.
Addressing a public meeting in the Mayem constituency in North Goa after inaugurating AAP leader Shrikrishna Parab’s office, Kejriwal claimed, citing a conversation with a fellow passenger on his way to Goa, that Patkar owns mines in the coastal state.
“That cannot happen (owning mines) without the blessings of the chief minister. Both are together. They just claim to have different political affiliations - one is Congress and the other is the BJP,” he said.
Over the past 60 years, Kejriwal said, 13-14 families have maintained their grip over politics in Goa.
“Their grandfather was contesting, then their son and now their grandson is contesting the election,” he said, adding that such individuals do not contest polls for the sake of the people but for their own benefits.
“These families are not just in the BJP, but also in the Congress. Even major businesses, contracts and big land parcels are with them,” he claimed.
The time is appropriate to “change” the system so that the people have rights over their resources, said the ex-Delhi CM.
Responding to Kejriwal’s claim, Patkar wrote on X, “Mr @ArvindKejriwal, as a former IRS (Indian Revenue Service) officer and Ex Chief Minister, you should know that public statements must be based on facts — not on gossip overheard from a co-passenger on a flight.”
“Repeating baseless rumours to defame me is irresponsible and unbecoming of your position,” Patkar said.
The Congress Goa chief said, “My family’s mining concessions leases existed for generations — much before you were even born — and were abolished by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in 2013.”
He also invited Kejriwal to a public debate in Goa during the AAP leader's current visit.
“Let’s discuss facts, not fiction. Stop misleading Goans with gossip and show some basic decency before speaking about others,” Patkar said.
Kejriwal arrived in Goa on Friday evening on a three-day visit to the coastal state.
Addressing the media outside Dabolim Airport, he said AAP would form the government in Goa on its own after the 2027 assembly polls. In the 40-member Goa assembly, AAP now has two MLAs.
Kejriwal said people have lost faith in the ruling BJP and opposition Congress. “The BJP has been ruling Goa for the last 13 years. The Congress has been supporting the BJP to form the government by providing MLAs,” he claimed.
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Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
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The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
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"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
