Make banana national fruit: Ex-Goa CM tells BJP

Former Goa Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha on Tuesday asked the BJP to make banana should the national fruit, amid a plethora of assurances made by the ruling party leaders across the country.

Sardinha, also Goa Congress spokesman, said the number of times BJP leaders keep uttering in Hindi "hum yeh banaenge, hum voh banaenge" (we will build this, we will build that), it gives the impression that the banana should be made the national fruit, instead of the mango.

"All the Bharatiya Janata Party is doing is give false assurances to the people of the country like they are doing with the beef issue in Goa," Sardinha told a press conference in Panaji.

He also appealed to the minority lawmakers in the BJP-led coalition alliance, to resolve the beef traders strike in Goa, which entered the fourth day Tuesday, so as to ensure regular supply of the meat to the minority community in the state which accounts for more than 30 per cent of the total population.

"I appeal to my friends, especially Mauvin Godinho (Animal Husbandry Minister) to resolve the situation and not just give assurances to the meat-eating populace. The shortage and ban will drive beef prices high in the future. The prices will never come down," Sardinha said.

Beef traders began their strike on January 6, alleging harassment by vigilante groups who have "raided" their beef consignments imported from Karnataka and disrupting business.

--IANS

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