At a rally when urns containing Parrikar’s ashes were handed over to BJP workers, Sawant had said although Parrikar was not around to campaign for the party, his ashes would fetch the BJP winning votes.
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Panaji: The BJP is apparently using late CM Manohar Parrikar’s ashes for electoral gain in Goa.
The Goa Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) asked collectors to probe and send a detailed report into a series of ceremonies held by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to immerse the ashes of late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in rivers across the state’s 40 constituencies.
The direction from the CEO, Kunal, follows a complaint by lawyer Aires Rodrigues alleging that the BJP was taking political advantage of the former Chief Minister’s ashes, which is a violation of the model code of conduct.
“The CEO has written to the general administration department seeking a report whether the government machinery was used for ferrying of ashes. A report has also been sought from (North and South) district collectors,” said a spokesperson for the CEO’s office.
Parrikar died on March 17 following a prolonged battle with cancer. After Parrikar’s death, the state government led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the BJP were in rank violation of the EC code as they had been seeking unlawful political mileage at the cost of late leader, the complaint reads.
At a rally when urns containing Parrikar’s ashes were handed over to BJP workers, Sawant had said although Parrikar was not around to campaign for the party, his ashes would fetch the BJP winning votes.
As many as 40 urns with the ashes of late Manohar Parrikar were sent across the state’s 40 constituencies and to be immersed in rivers and lakes across Goa, BJP officials said. Confirming the details, state party president Vinay Tendulkar added, “It is our last farewell and it is the state’s way of paying the last respects.”
Rejecting the complaint that chief minister Pramod Sawant and the BJP obtained “unlawful mileage” from Manohar Parrikar’s Asthi Kalash and condolence meetings, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Altinho, on Wednesday stated that there was no violation of the Model Code of Conduct, Times of India reported.
The joint secretary, general administration, stated that the state had not extended any support to the Asthi Kalash programme, nor provided any machinery for any of the condolence meetings or visits by dignitaries.
The North Goa collector and district election officer (DEO) had called for reports from all assistant returning officers (AROs) who have submitted nil violations, while the South Goa collector and district election officer stated that the programme didn’t violate any provisions of the code of conduct, the TOI report said.
“All our party nodals across the state have been informed. Preparations are already in place. Vehicles will ferry the urns across the state, and they will be positioned at the various panchayats for Goans to come and offer their last respects,” added Tendulkar.
According to BJP office bearers, the urn with the ashes was first brought to BJP headquarters where they divided the ashes into 40 urns in a ceremony. They were then sent to the constituencies on Monday afternoon.
The Shiv Sena criticised the political drama between the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies in Goa over selecting the new chief minister after Manohar Parrikar’s death. In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena described it as a “terrible state of democracy”.
The “shameless game of power” started even before Parrikar’s ashes could merge with the land of Gomantak, it said. The Sena, which is in an alliance with the BJP in Maharashtra, alleged that the saffron party’s government in Goa would have fallen if it had waited till Tuesday.
“This is a terrible state of democracy. They should have waited for Parrikar’s ashes to cool down. What would have happened had they waited till Tuesday morning for the oath-taking ceremony? The editorial asked.
BJP MLA and Goa Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant was sworn in as the new chief minister around 2 am on Tuesday, hours after Parrikar was cremated at Miramar beach. Eleven leaders were also sworn in as Cabinet ministers, including Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLA Sudin Dhavalikar and Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai, ANI reported. Dhavalikar and Sardesai are the state’s new deputy chief ministers.