Sack Parulekar for Serula land grab: Congress

PANAJI:Congress has demanded sacking of tourism minister Dilip Parulekar from the cabinet with regards to the land grab case of Serula comunidade and stated that if chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar fails to meet their request within a month, then it should be construed that, “BJP prefers people who are involved in malpractices and usurping of land”.
The Congress has challenged the chief minister to order a commission of inquiry, headed by a high court judge, and complete the inquiry within a month.
“Is this zero tolerance to corruption?” asked Congress spokesperson Trajano D’Mello, at a press conference alleging corruption was rampant in the government.
D’Mello said that, in connection with a writ petition filed by him, at the high court of Bombay at Goa, the court, in its judgement dated May 6, 2016, had observed, “In such circumstances, we are of the view that the whole conduct of the respondents is an illegal expedient to usurp the land of the comunidade without sanction of law”.
Recently, the Supreme Court dismissed the special leave petition filed by the respondents.
Congress said that no chief minister would have retained a minister who is allegedly involved in a land grab case.
“The BJP came to power in 2012 on the plank of exposing corruption and the then chief minister and current defence minister Manohar Parrikar assured to come down heavily on corruption or other corrupt practices. Parrikar has failed to act against Parulekar, when it had become clear that Parulekar was allegedly involved in the usurption of comunidade land,” D’Mello said. “To what extent will the government go to protect people who have looted the age old institution of comunidades in Goa?” the Congress questioned.
In August, the BJP government tried to close the case against Parulekar and others in the land grab case on CHOGM road in Porvorim. This matter has been challenged by social activist Aires Rodrigues.