Goa Revolution Day: Congress to launch Yatra to discuss failures of BJP govt

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The Congress on June 14 asked the people of Goa to join their 'Yatra' on June 18, which is celebrated as Goa Revolution Day, from Donapaula to Azad Maidan-Panaji to raise their voice against inflation, unemployment, and other issues, reported news agency IANS.

During a press conference, Youth Congress secretary in-charge for Goa, Richi Bhargava said: "BJP government has been a failure in Goa. It ranks second in the country over unemployment. There is no control over inflation. The poll promise of providing three free LPG cylinders is not delivered. It doesn't have a strategy to create jobs.".

"Scams in smart city projects are ignored and the government does not dare to face a probe. BJP is running away from the questions asked over corruption and scams. It is their habit. We saw this when Rahul Gandhi questioned the government over the Adani issue and for raising the issue he was disqualified from Lok Sabha. Hence I appeal to youths, women, and all people to join this yatra and raise their voice, which we will discuss," Richi Bhargava was quoted as saying by IANS.

She said that Bharat Jodo Yatra by Rahul Gandhi got a good response and as part of it, they will hold a yatra on Goa Revolution Day.

On June 15, Opposition parties in Goa boycotted Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's address in the state Legislative Assembly with the Congress questioning why he was not giving a chance to party leader Rahul Gandhi to represent himself over his disqualification in a defamation case.

Birla addressed members of the Goa Assembly on the topic "Vikasit Bharat 2047" this morning. Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and other members of the ruling parties were present for the function.

However, opposition members - those from the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Goa Forward Party (GFP), and the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) - skipped the function.

Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao told PTI that the entire opposition decided to disassociate itself from the event as a mark of protest.

Talking to reporters at the entrance of the Assembly complex, Alemao said that they protested against Birla for not giving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a chance to represent himself in the Lok Sabha in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark.

"The Lok Sabha Speaker has failed to give a hearing to our leader Rahul Gandhi. So as a mark of respect to our leader, we decided to stay away from today's Assembly function," Alemao was quoted as saying by PTI.

In March this year, a court in Gujarat's Surat convicted Gandhi in a criminal defamation case over his "Modi surname" remark and sentenced him to two years in jail. The decision led to his disqualification as a Member of Parliament. He represented the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala.

(With inputs from IANS and PTI)