New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday said the BJP's "deluxe brand washing machine" has been reserved for Goa and asked why action against two former chief ministers accused of graft "stalled" after they switched over to the ruling party. In a post on X, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh posed several questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his rally in Goa.
"How fast is the BJP washing machine spinning in Goa? Why are Goa's youth unemployed after a decade of double BJP (govt)? Does the prime minister represent Modani or the people?" Ramesh asked. Elaborating on what he called "jumla details", Ramesh said, "The BJP's deluxe brand washing machine has been reserved for Goa. Having orchestrated mass defections twice in the last five years, their disregard for democratic values has been on full display in the state."
The washing machine has been at play on some notable figures, including two former chief ministers, Ramesh said. Before switching over to the BJP, one former chief minister was implicated under a money-laundering charge in the Louis Berger bribery case, in which he and another minister had allegedly received bribes to the tune of Rs 70 crore, the Congress leader claimed.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had even received approval from a Goa court to frame charges against him in the case but all action was stopped once he joined the BJP, Ramesh alleged. "The other former chief minister had two FIRs filed against him for alleged recruitment scams in the animal husbandry and veterinary services, and cooperative societies departments but these too disappeared once he joined the BJP," Ramesh said, without taking any name.
"The prime minister's 'Bhrashtachar Hatao' slogan is shamelessly plastered all over the country even as his party is busy accommodating corrupt politicians. Can the prime minister shed any light on why action against these leaders has been stalled?" the Congress leader asked. How can the BJP make pretensions of eradicating corruption when their "washing machine" is clearly at full spin in Goa, he asked.
Ramesh also cited the latest Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) data to claim that Goa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Goa's unemployment rate was at 11.6 per cent in January 2023, 15.5 per cent in April 2023 and 13.7 per cent in August 2023, he said. This is almost three times higher than the national average of 3.17 per cent, he added.
Ramesh said, "The (Manohar) Parrikar government had promised to create 50,000 jobs and make the state unemployment-free in five years but their grand promises have turned out to be completely hollow." This is now leading to a brain-drain from the state as the highly educated classes move elsewhere in search of better opportunities, he claimed.
More and more young people are also being pushed into contract jobs, working for minimal pay with no job security or benefits, he said. "Yet, Chief Minister Pramod Swant has brazenly said that there is no unemployment in the state and 'there is work for those who want to work'," Ramesh said. According to the Congress leader, in its effort to deceive the people, the BJP seems to have fallen prey to its own delusions.
"Can the prime minister explain why the BJP has ignored the plight of young people in Goa? Does his government have any plans to address this situation and create better opportunities for Goa's youth?" Ramesh asked. The Congress leader further alleged that Goa's BJP government has blatantly disregarded the concerns of local communities and environment groups to serve the "interests of Modani and corporate groups" that have donated thousands of crores in electoral bonds to the party.
He said, "Despite widespread protests from thousands of citizens, the government has recklessly pushed ahead with the three linear projects -- the double tracking of railway lines of South Western Railway, expansion of the national highway passing through the Western Ghats, and the construction of a high-voltage power transmission line."
These projects will devastate the Mollem National Park and the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, Ramesh said. "The government has shown complete disdain for environmental regulations and the democratic process, clearing these projects during the COVID-19 lockdown without meaningful public consultation," he alleged. The people of Goa have made their position abundantly clear to the Modi government but to no avail, he said.
"The Congress has repeatedly promised to scrap these three projects, including during the 2022 assembly elections. @INCIndia's government in Karnataka has withdrawn permissions for road construction in the forested areas of the state recently. Where does Prime Minister Modi stand on this issue? Who does he represent -- his corporate friends or the people?" Ramesh said and asked the prime minister to break his "silence" on these issues.
