PANAJI: While reacting to ‘selective’ I-T notice to Church authorities in the state, AICC secretary Girish Chodankar termed it as “another unfortunate attempt by the BJP to polarise Goa by harassing minorities just before the elections.”
Chodankar said, “The way the Goan Church authorities have maturely handled such intimations in the past, this time also they are handling it systematically without falling in trap of BJP.” He said that it is unfortunate that I-T department served the notice on November 21 while asking complicated information on same day. “Goan Church, which has contributed immensely in the field of education and social sector by creating infrastructure in backward areas, has taken Goa to a new height. This has changed the life of thousands Goans,” he added.
He further said that the I-T department under “the pressure” has issued such a notice “with communal intent,” and added that the officials should have first targeted those who have looted the government exchequer and banks of crores of rupees and have even left the country. “The I-T department should act in a responsible manner because the Churches of Goa are not going anywhere and had been honest in fulfilling I-T requirements,” he added.