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Goa BJP cancels Parrikar’s felicitation after militant strike in Baramulla
BJP had decided to host public reception for Parrikar at Azad Maidan in Panaji on Tuesday for the “successful surgical strikes” across the Line of Control (LoC).
The Goa unit of BJP on Monday said it has cancelled a felicitation ceremony of defence minister Manohar Parrikar after the militant strike on camps of the Army and the BSF in north Kashmir’s Baramulla on Sunday night.
“The felicitation, which was planned to be held tomorrow (October 4), stands cancelled due to the terrorist attack on army base at Baramulla,” BJP state unit president Vinay Tendulkar told PTI.
Stating that it was Parrikar’s request to cancel the function, Tendulkar added that the BJP local unit too had decided on Sunday night not to go ahead with the event following the attack.
A BSF personnel was killed while another was injured when militants attacked two adjoining camps of Army and the paramilitary force at Baramulla on Sunday night.
BJP had decided to host public reception for Parrikar at Azad Maidan in Panaji on Tuesday for the “successful surgical strikes” across the Line of Control (LoC). On Saturday, the party had announced that they would bring Parrikar in a procession from Dabolim airport to Panaji.
BJP’s decision had evoked strong reaction from different quarters, including party’s ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) stating that such an event should not be held when our soldiers are braving militants on the border.
MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar had told reporters in Vasco that even Parrikar would not accept such a felicitation.
Newly-formed Goa Forward Party, which was the first one to oppose the felicitation, had cautioned BJP against politicising the efforts of brave soldiers.
Congress had also expressed its discontent with the planned programme.
