BJP asks Kamat to sack Goa law minister

Panaji, June 15 (UNI) The Goa BJP executive Committee today demanded that Chief Minister Digambar Kamat sack Finance and Law Minister Dayanand Narvekar, against whom criminal charges have been framed in connection with the India-Australia ODI cricket ticket scam of 2001.

''It is ludicrous to state that Narvekar is not involved in the crime. Goa government has, for the first time, a finance minister chargesheeted in a court for cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. He should be sacked to ensure sanctity of the Cabinet,'' the committee said.

Briefing reporters after the party executive meet here, the state BJP president Mr Shripad Naik, M.P, said the executive had also resolved to urge the government to cancel all casino licences, by amending the law suitably.

The party had further demanded the government to take back the land given to special economic zones besides setting up an inquiry into the ''fraudulent allotment of huge tracts of land at a compromised price''.

The BJP had also demanded consideration of the genuine demands of the government employees, who had been observing indefinite pen-down strike since Friday last.

Describing Kamat as non-performing chief minister, the BJP alleged that the government had failed on all fronts during the last one year even as the police force had been highly politicised.

The image of the state had received a severe beating in poor handling of the rape and murder case of British teenager Scarlette Keeling.

The BJP also observed that involvement of politicians, police and ministers in mining activities gave rise to mafia type of gangs in the mining areas, like in Dhanbad.

The party had included seven women in the state and district executive committee in line with its committment of providing 33 per cent reservations to women in party positions, Mr Naik added.

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