Team Goemkarponn
CORTALIM: Congress leader Mariano Rodrigues has challenged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to publicly state whether the BJP can afford to ignore Kannadiga voters in Cortalim, escalating the political row over the CM’s “Yendu Gundu” remarks.
Reacting on Sunday, Rodrigues said the Chief Minister must show respect for all Indian languages and citizens, regardless of their linguistic background. He accused Sawant of making remarks that, in his view, undermined the dignity of the office he holds.
The Congress leader questioned the consistency of the Chief Minister’s position on Kannada, pointing to his visits to Karnataka to campaign for the BJP. Rodrigues asked why Sawant addressed people in Kannada while seeking votes in the neighbouring state if he was dismissive of the language in other contexts.
Rodrigues also challenged the state government’s claims of development, arguing that Goa’s progress could not be compared with the work undertaken by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
“We cannot compare the development taken up by D K Shivakumar with what Sawant has done in Goa,” Rodrigues said.
He further alleged that the Chief Minister’s comments had diminished the stature of his constitutional office and called on him to demonstrate greater respect for linguistic diversity.
The controversy has brought the role of Kannadiga voters in Cortalim into the political spotlight, with Rodrigues questioning whether the BJP’s electoral outreach is consistent with Sawant’s reported remarks. Sawant’s response to the Congress leader’s challenge was not included in the statement provided.
