Cong draws parallel between Jaitley and Parrikar's hospitalization

Intensifying its attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party led central government, the Congress on Saturday drew a parallel between Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's hospitalisation with that of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

While addressing the media here, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "Goa is facing a constitutional crisis. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is undergoing treatment in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. (Government) Meetings fail to take place, and corruption has reached at its extreme level in almost all departments in the state."

However, when it came to Jailtley's hospitalisation and his subsequent recuperation period, the central government made alternative arrangements by asking Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to look after the Finance ministry, too, as an interim arrangement. Khera while citing Jaitley's case said, "Piyush Goyal was given the responsibility to head the Ministry of Finance in Jaitley's absence on temporary basis."

Similarly, the chief minister of Goa too is an important leader since all the important decisions are taken by the chief minister, the Congress said. Khera urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to think about the citizens of Goa, and at the same time should not put stress on Parrikar by making him continue with state government related duties.

Earlier on October 12, Parrikar met state BJP core committee members at AIIMS in Delhi to discuss the functioning of the government in Goa.