Non-Cong state govts get step motherly treatment: Goa BJP

Panaji: The Goa BJP unit on Tuesday accused the UPA government of giving “step-motherly” treatment to the states not governed by the Congress. “The UPA government gives step motherly treatment to non-Congress governments in the country because of the direct interference of the UPA members of Parliament to block state projects and schemes,” BJP Goa unit spokesman Dr Wilfred Mesquita alleged while talking to mediapersons here. [caption id=“attachment_959309” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image for representation only. AFP[/caption] The party also accused Congress MP Shantaram Naik of trying to block funds for the state from the central coffers. “It is obvious that Congressmen are attempting to bring afloat their sunken ship,” Mesquita said. Congress Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik, during a recent press conference, had asked the Centre not to allot Rs 400 crore for tourism sector in Goa, while claiming that the funds were being diverted for other purposes by the BJP-led state government. The BJP today said Naik’s statement was an offence to the people of Goa. The central government, after allotting funds for specific purposes, always monitors the implementation of the work, Mesquita said. He alleged that the former Congress government in the state had siphoned off or diverted Rs 80 crore allotted to Goa to construct infrastructure for Lucifonia Games, a Portuguese commonwealth games, scheduled later this year. PTI