Not just fish, contaminated fruit also causes cancer: Goa Minister
Panaji, July 14 : Under fire for his alleged support to a trader of carcinogenic formalin-laced fish from neighbouring states, Goa Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai on Saturday said not just fish but eating contaminated fruit also causes cancer.
Sardesai also told a press conference that the coastal state, a popular seafood destination, may ban bringing fish from outside the state in future if the consignments again test positive for formalin content.
"Suppose this happens again, we should ban fish coming from outside the state, I am of the view. There are four states which have taken a view on this -- Assam, Kerala, Odisha and Maharashtra. Now in the fish ban period, fish is only coming from the eastern coast. So I'm taking a stand that suppose such an incident happens again, we should ban it," Sardesai said.
On Friday, after conducting field raids at the Margao and Panaji fish markets, Food Drug Administration officials confirmed the presence of formalin or formaldehyde, a chemical used as a disinfectant to preserve dead bodies, in fish consignments brought from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
The officials had sealed the fish consignments, which contained traces of formalin, but a tweet by Sardesai giving a clean chit to the importer and a subsequent laboratory report by FDA claiming that the formalin content was within permissible limits, has caused outrage.
Sardesai also said, that he was aware of the perils of carcinogenic agents, adding that his sister had died of cancer.
"That why we are talking about safe food for vegetarians also... My sister has died of cancer, remember this. When we have gone into the depth of it, we feel that it is the consumption of fruits that is the cause of cancer," Sardesai said.
"My father was a scientist. He's a PhD and he's also a rationalist. He's gone deep into it. She used to only eat small fish like verli (silver fish) and not big pomfrets or kingfish. I am a person who is a victim of his contamination of food. So I am not going to defend anybody," Sardesai also said.
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BJP, TMC hail SC directions on counting of votes for West Bengal polls
Kolkata (PTI): The BJP and TMC on Saturday both hailed the SC directions on the Election Commission's circular over the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.
The apex court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against the April 13 circular.
In a social media post, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "In yet another legal setback, the Supreme Court has refused to intervene. The Trinamool Congress had approached the court challenging the exclusion of state government employees from vote-counting supervisor duties, and had sought an urgent hearing."
"The refusal to entertain this plea underscores a clear message -- attempts to influence or cast doubt over the integrity of the counting process will not find easy validation. Another day, another judicial rebuff for Mamata Banerjee," he added.
The TMC, however, claimed that the SC directions vindicated its stand.
"The issue raised before the Hon'ble Supreme Court pertained to the implementation of the said communication in a manner whereby only Central Government/Central PSU employees were being appointed as Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants for counting of votes," the party said in a statement.
The TMC said it was highlighted that such an interpretation and implementation of the communication would be contrary to the framework of a fair and balanced counting process.
"After hearing the parties, the Hon'ble Supreme Court directed that Clause 1 of the communication dated 13.04.2026, relating to the appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants, must be read along with the salient feature contained in the second page of the said communication, which provides for random selection of both State Government and Central Government employees," it said.
"The Hon'ble Supreme Court has further recorded the undertaking of Mr Dama Seshadri Naidu, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Election Commission of India that the said communication shall be followed in its letter and spirit," it added.
The TMC said that in view of the directions, it is expected that the counting of votes shall be conducted in a fair, transparent, and balanced manner.
A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the EC can choose the counting personnel, and its April 13 circular, which provides for deployment of state government employees as well, cannot be said to be incorrect.
The poll body said the apprehensions of TMC of any wrongdoing are misplaced, as the circular very clearly states that there will be a mix of central and state government employees.
The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit, and there would be state government employees also during the counting of votes on May 4.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
On April 30, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the TMC's petition against the Election Commission circular, saying there was no illegality in the poll panel's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from Central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, instead of the state government staff.
