AAP slams Goa CM over state of police preparedness

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday criticised Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar's handling of the home portfolio after outgoing DGP T.N. Mohan said Goa Police's anti terrorism squad (ATS) was not adequately trained to handle potential terror strikes.

"This stunning revelation, along with the recent reports that Goa is topmost on IS hit-list would have made even the most indolent and incompetent government sit up and take notice. But this seems to not have had any effect on the BJP-led government of Goa," Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson for Goa Valmiki Naik said in a statement here.

"The audacity of Home Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to avoid any action by simply saying that they haven't got any 'official information' about the threats, only confirms that the chief minister and his government are no longer in control of the law and order situation in the state," Naik said.

Outgoing DGP Mohan in his farewell interview to a section of media on Thursday had said that the ATS in Goa was underprepared and needed to be better trained considering the fact that Goa was a top international tourism destination.

Last week, after a section of the media had reported that Goa was on the IS radar, Parsekar had said that there was no specific input from the central intelligence agencies about a particular IS threat to Goa.

"Parsekar should remember his primary duty to safeguard the security of Goans and immediately arrange for funds to make the ATS of the Goa Police effective in neutralizing terror threats to Goa," Naik said.