Panaji: Even as Congress party has been propagating ban on the import of the fish, All India Fishermen Congress today demanded that the ban be lifted.
The difference of opinion amongst the Congress leaders has exposed the infighting and directionless within Rahul Gandhi-led party.
Congress in Goa headed by Girish Chodankar was on the forefront to demand ban on the import of the fish in the State over the issue of formalin.
The party had photo ops in SGPDA’s market fish market claiming to have found formalin in the fish. The party leaders openly demanded ban on the import of the fish.
But in a strong contradiction, All India Fishermen Congress leaders arrived in Goa demanding that the ban on fish import be lifted.
“We are here with the demand to lift the ban on import of the fish in Goa. Due to ban the entire trade of fish with Goa has come to a standstill,” All India Fishermen Congress’ Working Chairman U R Sabhapati, who is also a Congress MLA from Udupi, told reporters.
He said that the ban has affected the fishing community from neighbouring districts of Karnataka.
Interestingly, the Congress leaders seems to be clueless about entire issue as they were searching for State Fisheries Minister Vinod Palyekar asking him to lift the ban.
The ban is imposed by FDA under the aegis of Health Minister Vishwajit Rane.
When contacted, Rane said that the double standards are adopted by Congress on this issue.
“No one has imposed any ban. We are just insisting that the traders should comply with the guidelines of FDA and get their fish in Goa,” the minister said.
“There is confusion that is being created. We have only said that the non compliance would not be tolerated,” he said.
“There are three traders who have already applied for the same. We have banned illegal import of the fish,” he said.
