In Goa, the allegation of sexual harassment levelled against a BJP minister by state Congress President Girish Chodankar is gaining momentum. The issue also came up in the meeting of the core group of BJP leaders in Goa on Wednesday. The leaders involved in the meeting have demanded action against the minister. However, Girish Chodankar has not disclosed the name of the minister.
Sources revealed that senior party leaders had to pacify several core group members by assuring them that the party’s central leadership has been apprised of the matter and expect a decision on it soon. As per some media outlets, the minister in question is Milind Naik.
Chodankar on Tuesday accused a minister in the Pramod Sawant cabinet of sexually assaulting and threatening a young woman. He said that if the minister is not sacked from the cabinet, he will make public the evidence of the allegations.
Chodankar said that a minister in the Goa government is involved in a sex scandal. A woman is being sexually abused by misusing the post of minister. It is a serious issue when a minister misuses his office and sexually exploits a woman by using the power of the government.
He further said, “The minister is seen in different compromising positions. The way he is talking to a woman…he is not even fit to be an MLA. In the audio, you can hear how the woman demands her rights after being sexually abused, and the minister says, ‘I am a minister, and I can do anything.” He asks her to go for an abortion in the audio, but the woman is clearly not agreeable.
The Goa Congress President also got the support of a BJP MLA. The MLA said that this could have a negative impact not only on Goa but also on other BJP-ruled states. At the same time, BJP has termed the allegations of Congress as baseless and said that if they want action, then they should reveal the names of the minister. The Goa BJP President said that Congress should stop firing in the air and if they are serious about their allegations, then name the minister.