Parrikar should focus on national security: Congress

The Congress in Goa on Sunday took potshots at Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for spending time in the state, meeting party workers, even as border tensions between India and Pakistan simmer.

In a statement issued here, the party's state unit said that Parrikar, a former Goa chief minister, was "busy participating in a 'mahasampark abhiyaan' in Goa" even though "six ceasefire violations have taken place on the border since July 15".

"We demand that at this juncture, the defence minister should show more concern towards national security and jawans rather than the 'mahasampark abhiyan' in the state," Goa Congress secretary Durgadas Kamat said in the statement.

"We condemn the attitude of Parrikar, who seems more interested in playing Goa's weekend chief minister."

The "mahasampark abhiyaan" is a nationwide campaign by the Bharatiya Janata Party to reach out to the party's cadre. Parrikar has been participating in the campaign since Saturday.

The defence minister has also been criticised by the opposition in the past for camping in Goa over extended weekends.

"Six ceasefire violations have taken place since July 15, 2015, killing two and injuring 15," the Congress statement said.