Goa minister politicising IAF for votes: Congress

In a complaint to the Election Commission, the Goa Congress on Thursday alleged that state Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho had referred to the IAF as "Modi's Air Force" during the Prime Minister's rally in Panaji on Wednesday.

The complaint uploaded to the National Grievance Redressal portal of the EC on Thursday has also alleged that by directly linking the Indian Air Force to Modi, the country's defence forces were being politicised for electoral gain by Godinho.

"Minister in the Goa government Mauvin Godinho has referred the Indian Air Force as 'Modi's air force'. The Defence Forces are being politicised in order to obtain votes. This is a direct violation of the model code of conduct," Goa Congress spokesman Rohit Bras De Sa said in the complaint.

Godinho, who was one of the several speakers to take the stage ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll campaign speech at an indoor stadium near Panaji, in his speech had said: "Pakistan used to scare us with a dummy, saying they had nuclear weapons. Modiji called the bluff. What did he show? By dispatching his air force, terrorists were killed by crossing the border, he exhibited the strength of the country."

Godinho had also lauded late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for making Goa proud by carrying out surgical strikes, post the Uri attack.

"Our son of the soil carried out surgical strikes after Uri. What did he show. That a Goan can... what America can do, what Israel can do, India can also do. A Goan did this, Parrikar did this. We should be proud of this," Godinho said.

--IANS

maya/rs/bg