Goa BJP remote-controlled like East India Company: Ashok Chavan

Panaji, Feb 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Tuesday likened the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government in Goa to the East India Company, saying the party's state leadership was incapable of taking decisions and was wholly dependent on its Central leadership for taking decisions related to the state.

Addressing a press conference in the poll-bound state, he also said that the BJP was using the dynasty card to its own convenience, while referring to the Prime Minister's speech in Parliament earlier on Tuesday.

"The general attitude of the last 10 years of BJP rule in Goa, we have seen that everything is centralised and the Central leadership decides the aspirations of the people of Goa, the local issues concerning Goa. What is the priority for Goa. Nothing is taken into account," Chavan said.

"Priorities of Goa are not decided here, they are decided at the Centre at the behest of some people. And that is the issue. This is like the East India Company, which used to trade and make business in a particular state of India and take away everything. This is what is happening and that is why we are comparing this local government to the EIC which was handled by the owner in England," the former Maharashtra Chief Minister also said.

Asked to respond to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charge that dynasty is the biggest challenge to democracy, Chavan said: "The word dynastic politics is being used as per convenience. Being related cannot be a qualification or a disqualification.

"Those who have the people behind them and can be elected, such people have a right to contest in a democracy. This statement is being used politically, they are trying to put the Congress in a dock."

Source: IANS