Gowda, supporters stage dharna in Goa over harassment

Panaji, May 22 (UNI) Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) President H D Deve Gowda, accompanied by party workers, today staged a dharna at Gandhi Chowk in Old Goa to protest harassment of workers arrested recently on charges of electoral offences.

Mr Gowda said he would complain to the Chief Election Commission against the ''recalcitrant attitude'' of the polling officials who had raided a hotel in Vasco-da-Gama in south Goa on Sunday and arrested five party workers and seized Rs nine lakh that was meant for election expenses.

The denied his party workers indulged in any malpractice and said the money was meant for election expenses that each candidate was duly entitled to.

The party has fielded 12 candidates for the June 2 elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly and is contesting on its own.

UNI