Panaji: The Aam Aadmi Party leaders have attacked Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his family in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam only for political reasons, a senior BJP functionary said on Wednesday.
BJP Goa spokesman Giriraj Pai Vernekar also challenged the AAP or any opposition party to come forward with “a single document linking CM or his family to the cash-for-jobs scam.”
Vernekar was reacting to the recent press conference addressed by AAP leaders, including MP Sanjay Singh and the party’s Goa Unit President Amit Palekar. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party had accused the Chief Minister and his wife of being involved in the scam.
“If you look at the allegations of AAP, Sanjay Singh or their Goa President (Amit Palekar), both of them are out on bail,” Vernekar said, reacting to the AAP press conference on Wednesday.
He said that it is laughable that “they (AAP) are criticizing others as Sanjay Singh has spent several months in jail.” “I was expecting him to be a little more responsible, but he was not,” he added.
Vernekar said that AAP leaders “have not been able to provide a single proof of involvement of CM or their family linking them to the cash-for-jobs scam.”
The BJP leader said that it is unfortunate that the level of discourse that they want to take it to and attack CM’s family is “only for political reasons.”
“I urge the opposition that if they have any proof of CM or his family’s involvement, they should provide it rather than making baseless allegations,” he said, adding, “if these attacks don’t stop, then we have to explore all options.”
Speaking about the cash-for-jobs scam, Vernekar said that the BJP government has initiated this inquiry through the Enforcement Directorate and there is nothing to hide.
He said that “now all lies that have been said about the involvement of BJP leaders would be exposed. The opposition has been demanding an ED inquiry for a long time, and it is now fulfilled.”
Vernekar said that AAP or Congress, they have been criticizing the ED and CBI every day, but now they are demanding an ED inquiry.
The BJP leader said that once the investigation into the scam is over, it will be clear that these are individual conmen or conwomen who were defrauding the people, and there is no involvement of any senior BJP leader.
“The investigation is on. As far as the intent of the government is concerned, we have asked people to come forward and register the case,” he said.
Vernekar said that it was the Chief Minister, after realizing that some conmen and conwomen were duping people, who asked the police to start the investigation. The first FIR was filed at the behest of the Chief Minister and not by the opposition or any victim, he said.
The BJP leader said that 30 FIRs had been filed, and more than 25 people have been arrested in connection with the case.
“Accused have been arrested, and it has only happened because the CM has been repeatedly appealing to the people of Goa that they should come forward and not let scammers dupe them of their hard-earned money,” he added.
