Congress condemns Parsekar for CCTV advice to Goans

The opposition Sunday criticised Goan Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar for suggesting the urban dwellers should have CCTVs for safety, saying the government was abdicating its main responsibility to provide security.

Parsekar made the suggestion Saturday in the backdrop of a murder of two women Friday during an alleged burglary in a flat at Vasco, a port town, 40 km from Panaji.

The Congress party questioned the chief minister's suggestion in the light of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government installing thousand of CCTVs recently during the US president's Delhi visit.

"In Delhi, the BJP installs 15,000 CCTV cameras for US President Barack Obama's security. But here the chief minister appeals to citizens to install CCTV cameras," Congress spokesperson Durgadas Kamat said in a statement issued here.

"It is a highly condemnable comment... Instead of making such loose statements, the government should give free gun licences to citizens so that they can protect themselves and not depend on the chief minister and his government," he added.

On Saturday, Parsekar said in Vasco: "When we buy property in lakhs we need to also pay towards our safety. CCTV and security guards should be put in place and the cost could be shared by the colony residents."