Panaji: Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai’s statement that Goa’s first CM, Bhausaheb Bandodkar, had “allergy to Goenchi Asmitai (Goa’s identity)” has stirred controversy in the state.
State Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant rubbished the statement, claiming it as “misrepresentation of facts.”
The controversy began on January 16, 2025, when AAP MLA Venzy Viegas, during the inauguration of a sewage treatment plant in his constituency in South Goa, equated the current CM Dr. Pramod Sawant with Bandodkar for their vision for the state.
The appreciation of the BJP leader by the AAP MLA did not sit well with Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai, who shares the opposition space in the state with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.
On Tuesday, Sardesai stated that the comparison of Pramod Sawant with Bandodkar is “utterly amusing.” “I found Venzy Viegas’ recent comments equating Goa’s first chief minister with the current CM extremely superficial,” he said.
The Fatorda MLA said, “The only similarity I see between those two is their undisguised desire to not only undermine Goa’s unique identity and ethos but also run Goa as an extended territory of Maharashtra.”
Sardesai also said that CM Sawant has an allergy towards “Goenchi Asmitai (Goa’s identity).” “Similarly, Bandodkar also had an allergy towards Goenchi Asmitai,” he added.
On Wednesday, CM Dr. Pramod Sawant responded to Sardesai’s statement through a post on his personal X handle. Sawant wrote, “No! Bhausaheb Bandodkar never had an allergy to Goa’s Asmitai! Claiming that Bhausaheb made a mistake or harbored an allergy to Goa’s identity is not just a misrepresentation but a blatant and disgraceful insult to the legacy of Goa’s first chief minister.”
“Bhausaheb was a towering figure who tirelessly championed Goa’s identity and development. The real problem lies with Vijai Sardesai and his inflated ego, which fuels his delusion that individuals like him are somehow ‘more Goan’ than others,” he said.
Sawant added, “I unequivocally condemn this anti-Bhausaheb and anti-Goa rhetoric in its entirety. Such remarks are a disrespect to the very spirit of Goa.”