'Goa BJP government misusing vigilance department'

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar from the Bharatiya Janata party is using the state vigilance department as his "personal army" to settle political scores with the opposition, the Congress alleged Wednesday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party generally attacks the central government for misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against opponents, but now the Congress in Goa is hitting the BJP with a similar stick after the state vigilance department booked a Congress leader for graft.

Congress leader Babu Kavlekar was booked Tuesday by the state vigilance department for duping the exchequer to the tune of Rs.5.54 crore during his tenure as the chairman of the state-run Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC).

The state vigilance department was being misused by Manohar Parrikar as his "personal army" in order to harass the opposition, Congress spokesperson Sudip Tamhankar told reporters here.

"The charges against Babu Kavlekar are politically motivated," Tamhankar alleged.

The first information report filed by the vigilance department also says that Kavlekar used the money to buy immovable property in Kerala.

"This is nothing but political witch-hunting. They are only interested in going after political opponents. Ministers in his own government who have been accused of corruption are left untouched," Tamhankar said.