Probe ordered into recruitments done ahead of Goa polls

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters today that the vigilance department will enquire into every aspect of the recruitment, which was done with an eye on the elections.

He said that these appointments were election-related and made without considering merit. Around 292 recruitments were done prior to the March 3 assembly polls.

Parriker said the recruitments were done 'in a hurry' and it was 'a political give and take'.

"Let the vigilance department enquire into the illegalities and manipulations in these recruitments", the CM said, adding that the youths selected for the posts would also be investigated by the vigilance department.

The Chief Minister alleged that bogus offer of appointment letters were distributed by a former minister in the run up to the elections to garner votes.

Parrikar, however, said that those who were given offer or appointment letters much before the code of conduct came into force would be recruited in the service.

Half a dozen government departments including Directorate of Mines and Geology, Directorate of Health Services, Electricity department and Department of Education had a massive recruitment drive before the elections.

BJP, during their election campaign, had termed this recruitment drive as a fake exercise done by Congress to win votes.

Hundreds of students protested outside the Chief Minister's official residence on Tuesday slamming Parrikar's statement that the job recruitment done a little before the elections and in violation of the code of conduct would not be honoured.

The youths have continued their agitation in the form of hunger strike that they began today.