Goa: Stones hurled at Vishwajit Rane's rally; Cong blames BJP

Unidentified persons hurled stones at a public meeting addressed by senior Congress leader Vishwajit Rane in Poriem Assembly constituency, which the opposition party today dubbed as the handiwork of supporters of ruling BJP.
However, the saffron party has ruled out its involvement in the incident and accused Vishwajit and his father and former chief minister Pratapsinh Rane of giving a "political colour" to the incident.
Poriem is represented by the senior Rane, a Congress veteran in the state.
The incident occurred at around 7.30 PM yesterday when Vishwajit, former Health Minister and Valopi MLA, got up to address the meeting.

Valpoi Police have arrested 15 persons in this regard.
Addressing reporters here today, Congress' Goa unit president Luizinho Faleiro said, "The government is using the tactics of intimidation and threat. The violence and threats in a peaceful Congress party meeting of yesterday is yet again a manifestation of frustration of BJP."

He said BJP is unsettled as its "defeat" in 2017 Assembly polls is imminent.
"BJP is staring at the defeat. This new culture of intolerance, threat, intimidation and violence is all over. I am here to strongly condemn it and demand that there should be immediate action against these people (involved in incident," Faleiro said.

The Congress leader said the "cheap tactics" of violence and intimidation will not work.
"Rane family is an old Congress family. Sattari (the taluka comprising Poriem and Valopi segments) has been the bastion of Congress party for many years. I would like to say this cheap tactics of violence, intimidation will not work. It will neither work in Sattari nor in any part of Goa," he said.
Faleiro said the ruling government has only "betrayed" the people's faith and trust for last five years.
"Today, there is so much of turmoil, frustration, this government which came with many promises has betrayed trust of people.

"A silent revolt is coming like a volcanic eruption and more BJP tries such tactics, I can assure you that BJP's tally for the next Assembly elections will not cross five. It is going to be so bad for the BJP," he said.
However, BJP has dismissed the charge of having any role in pelting of stones.
"Rane father-son duo are afraid of their defeat in their respective constituencies and that is why they are trying to give political colour to the incident," BJP state unit president Vinay Tendulkar said, adding his party has nothing to do with the incident and that it should not be unnecessarily dragged into the matter.