Parrikar ignoring national security, interfering in Goa: AAP

Panaji, June 3: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar of interfering in matters related to governance in Goa, even in the aftermath of the Pathankot terror attacks and fire in Pulgaon army ammunition depot in Maharashtra.

Addressing a press conference in Panaji on Friday, AAP spokesperson Ashutosh said: "When the Pathankot attack happened, Parrikar was in Goa. When the Pulgaon fire occurred, he was in Goa. The prime minister had to tell Parrikar to go to Pulgaon. His interference in Goa matters is putting the nation's defence at risk."

Ashutosh also put five questions to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of allowing the state to be run by two power centres, namely Parrikar and current Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.

Ashutosh likened the relationship between the duo to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi combine when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in power.

"The BJP should explain in what capacity is Manohar Parrikar holding cabinet meetings, since as per the constitution, only the members of the cabinet and the secretaries of the concerned departments invited by the cabinet are supposed to participate in these meetings," he said.

"Parrikar is neither a cabinet minister nor an official in the government of Goa," Ashutosh said, adding that the BJP should explain whether Parrikar or Parsekar was the state's chief minister.

Accusing Parrikar of using his defence minister camp office in Panaji to meet senior bureaucrats and examine state government files, Ashutosh also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should put an end to this interference and prevent a constitutional crisis from occurring.

"The BJP attacked the UPA claiming all ministers were meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi to clear files and not the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. But the same party is OK with two power centres in Goa? This is hypocritical," Ashutosh said.

IANS