Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa Congress President Amit Patkar has strongly refuted recent statements made by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal regarding Patkar’s family mining interests, calling them “baseless rumours” and “irresponsible.”
Patkar, a former IRS officer, emphasized that his family’s mining concession leases existed for generations and were abolished by the Supreme Court in 2013. He criticized Kejriwal for allegedly spreading gossip heard from a co-passenger during a flight and urged the Delhi Chief Minister to base public statements on facts rather than hearsay.
In a direct challenge, Patkar invited Kejriwal to a public debate in Goa during his upcoming two-day visit, stating, “Let’s discuss facts, not fiction. Stop misleading Goans and show some basic decency before speaking about others.”
Patkar also turned the focus on Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), questioning their anti-corruption credentials. He highlighted several controversies under AAP’s governance in Delhi, including the ₹2,000 crore classroom scam, liquor policy irregularities, ₹382 crore healthcare mismanagement, and protests by unpaid Mohalla Clinic staff.
“Goa doesn’t need sermons from Kejriwal — what it needs is accountability from his agent, the most corrupt @BJP4Goa government,” Patkar stated, urging a shift from political posturing to substantive governance.
The exchange sets the stage for a potential public confrontation during Kejriwal’s visit, drawing attention to both local and national political tensions.
