Sardesai accuses Cong of twisting his statement on Parrikar

A day after the Congress slammed Goa minister Vijai Sardesai for "likening" Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to Jesus Christ, the latter has accused the opposition party of twisting his statement "to hurt the religious sentiments".

On Wednesday, Sardesai had showered praise on Parrikar, saying that like Jesus Christ, he built bridges, not walls.

"In the Bible there is a saying that man should build bridges, not walls. Jesus built bridges, not walls....Manohar Parrikar also built bridges. We were also on the other side (in anti-BJP camp). We came to this (BJP's) side because of the bridges he built," the minister had said.

A day later, the Congress took exception to the Town and Country Planning Minister and Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief for quoting Bible to praise Parrikar.

State Congress spokesperson Rohit Bras De Sa had alleged on Friday that by "likening Manohar Parrikar with Jesus Christ", Sardesai had insulted the Christian community.

Reacting to the Congress's statement, Sardesai on Saturday said, "I am not referring to concrete bridges, but bridges of human relationships."