The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit in Goa on Friday demanded that the Governors who are facing questionable situations and have needle of suspicion pointed at them must voluntarily quit their posts.
Spokesperson of Goa BJP and a senior leader Dr. Wilfred Mesquita said that Governors must appreciate that they are not politicians and as such they are not considered “shameless” by public.
“The Governors who are facing any controversies should go by the call of their conscience and quit on their own to uphold the Constitutional sanctity of their posts,” said Dr. Mesquita.
Recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had communicated to the Union Law Ministry that it wants to questions two Governors, M. K. Narayanan of West Bengal and B. V. Wanchoo of Goa as witnesses in connection with its probe in the VVIP helicopter deal. The investigation pertains to Rs. 360 crore bribe in the deal that was scrapped by the Government last year.
The BJP demand becomes significant in the contest of change of Government at the Centre and on the backdrop of latest information that Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran has cautioned the CBI against questioning the Governors even as witnesses pointing out that they enjoy constitutional immunity.
When asked if he is asking for Goa Governor Wanchoo to relinquish his post in that context, Dr. Mesquita told The Hindu on Friday morning, “I am not gunning for anybody, my observation is based on Supreme Court observations and all the information coming in the media about some Governors,” he said.
“Our party position is that gubernatorial positions are political appointments to non- political positions, and therefore, if there is something against them in public domain, they must not continue to occupy these positions,” he said.
Mr. Wanchoo took over as Goa Governor on May 4, 2012, soon after Bharatiya Janata Party-led government came to power in Goa in March, 2012.
