A fresh political confrontation has ignited in Goa between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The AAP has publicly accused the BJP of attempting to deflect public scrutiny from the recent assault on activist Rama Kankonkar by leveling allegations that AAP MLA Venzy Viegas unlawfully entered the BJP’s Panaji office.
Chetan Kamat, Vice-President of AAP Goa, addressed the media directly, countering claims made by Tushar Kelkar, the state chief of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). Kelkar had alleged that Viegas and others had trespassed during a protest organized last week to condemn the attack on Mr. Kankonkar.
Adding to the tension, Mr. Kelkar reportedly issued a warning, suggesting that Mr. Viegas should be mindful of the BJYM’s substantial membership of one lakh individuals.
“We are not intimidated by such threats,” Mr. Kamat declared to reporters. “I would strongly recommend that Mr. Kelkar familiarizes himself with the writings of former Prime Minister and esteemed BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee.”
Kamat emphasized that reading such a book would offer valuable insights to BJP politicians on upholding exemplary conduct in public life and fostering effective leadership qualities.
Further escalating the matter, Rohan Naik, president of the AAP youth wing, confirmed that a formal police complaint has been lodged against Tushar Kelkar for his remarks perceived as threatening towards MLA Viegas.
Naik reiterated the AAP’s stance, asserting that the BJP’s persistent focus on the alleged trespassing incident involving Viegas is a calculated maneuver to draw attention away from the severe and unprovoked attack on activist Rama Kankonkar.
In a related development, Mr. Kankonkar was brutally assaulted by a group in Panaji’s Caranzalem area. Law enforcement officials have since apprehended seven suspects in connection with the incident, including the known individual Zenito Cardoso.