NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Brushing off the corruption charges recently levelled by Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao against the state Bharatiya Janata Party government, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Friday said that he would soon be meeting the archbishop to discuss his grievances against the government.
“I don’t agree with these charges of corruption,” he added.
Delivering his address during the Christmas reception hosted by him, the archbishop had maintained, “But what we see is an extensive environmental and social damage to Goa, which has generated rampant corruption and even weakened governance.”
Speaking to the media after a cabinet meeting, Parsekar said that his government is not for appeasement of any section of society.
“The BJP will face the forthcoming state assembly elections from the platform of development,” he noted.
Parsekar also said that his government among others has the support of six Catholic MLAs.
“These legislators were constantly in touch with my party during the full term of the government,” he added, pointing out that these Catholic MLAs are the best judges of the BJP.
The Chief Minister also stated that his party is allowing the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch leaders to pass comments against the BJP.
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza said the Church always follows the practice of guiding the political parties in selection of their candidates during the assembly elections.
“That does not mean the Church influences the people to vote for a particular party,” he mentioned, observing that there is nothing wrong in suggesting the parameters for selection of candidates by various political parties.
D’Souza said the archbishop’s Christmas speech was not linked to party politics but should be looked upon as social obligation of the Church. “The archbishop in his speech did not take name of any political party,” he maintained, noting that the speech only made inferences, and therefore, is open for interpretation.
The archbishop had also maintained that the Church in Goa has sent out a clear and unequivocal message that it will most certainly play her part in guiding her members (the Catholics of Goa) in “the process of electing the right kind of individuals to the local and national government”.