An Independent MLA in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Tuesday demanded that hands of those government officials caught red-handed accepting bribes should be chopped.
“Their hands should be cut. If government is serious about curbing corruption, cut the hands of government officials who were found red-handed accepting bribe,” legislator Naresh Sawal told Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar in the Assembly during Question Hour. Sawal charged the ruling BJP-led coalition of not being serious about curbing corruption in the State.
Parsekar refuting the allegations said that the number of cases of officials booked for corruption has gone up tremendously during BJP government’s regime in the state. “This is a democracy and in a democracy, even if a person is known as an established criminal or a cheat, it has to be proven so. You cannot take action otherwise,” the Chief Minister told the Opposition member.
Responding to a question, Parsekar said in all, 46 cases have been filed before the Vigilance department against government officials in last 12 years. “Only one (official) has been chargesheeted and one convicted,” he said. Of the total 46 cases, 39 cases have been registered under the BJP led government while only seven cases were filed between 2005-2012.
(Feature image source: Reuters)