Speaker accuses Gaude of misusing funds, seeks inquiry
In an embarrassment to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, Goa legislative assembly Speaker has alleged the involvement of Art & Culture Minister Govind Gaude in misappropriation of funds and has demanded inquiry into the matter.
This has prompted a vociferous demand for the sacking of Gaude from the Pramod Sawant ministry.
Claiming that Gaude was involved in misappropriation of funds sanctioned for cultural events, the Speaker demanded an investigation into disbursement of fund of Rs 26.85 lakh to various organisations to organise cultural events in
Canacona constituency.
The allegation and the deepening of the rift between the two tribal leaders of BJP came on the first day of the Budget session of the assembly. The Speaker levelled the allegation against the minister while speaking to reporters in his chamber in the Assembly complex.
Tawadkar said the art and culture department disbursed a huge amount of fund to several organisations in Canacona after the organisations submitted fake proposals for conducting cultural programmes. “Gaude was aware of this misappropriation of funds and there should be an inquiry against him and his department,”
he said.
On Thursday, members of a few village panchayats in Canacona held a press conference and alleged that several local organisations had fraudulently obtained as much as Rs 26.85 lakh from the art and culture department. They claimed that the money was taken for cultural programmes or events that never took place.
Tawadkar, who is the Canacona MLA, said that following the submission of a detailed memorandum to him from various panchayat members, including sarpanches of some village panchayats from his constituency, he discussed the matter with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, seeking a probe into it.
“I will also place this before the party forum, as the Art and Culture Minister is not following the protocol. Neither these panchayat members nor I was invited for these programmes. In fact, some of the events were supposedly held in the monsoon season, which
is impossible.
The local elected representatives raised the issue when they became aware of money being sanctioned but no programme held,” he said.
It may be noted that there has been a rift between Tawadkar and Gaude, who is the Priol MLA, since many years though in the past both had worked together towards the tribal movement in the state.
Infighting between the two tribal leaders, who are BJP legislators, has forced the Chief Minister to keep the tribal welfare portfolio with him. Tawadkar had served as the tribal welfare minister from 2012 to 2017 and Gaude held the portfolio from 2017 to 2022.
