Congress workers gherao Dabolim airport director over BJP rally

He said no permission was sought for rally: AICC secretary

Congress workers at the office of Dabolim Airport Director B C Negi on Monday.

Panaji: The controversy over BJP’s public meeting at the Dabolim airport following the arrival of party president Amit Shah on Saturday further escalated on Monday with a top airport official reportedly confirming that no permission was granted to hold a rally within the airport premises.

A Congress delegation, led by AICC secretary Girish Chodankar, on Monday “gheraoed” the Dabolim airport director B.C. Negi in his office on Monday.

Mr. Chodankar told

The Hindu later that Mr. Negi admitted in front of them that no permission was sought for a BJP rally at the airport in honour of Mr. Shah.

Meanwhile, the Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar told presspersons that party workers and other well-wishers had gathered “spontaneously” and that no permission was required for such an informal gathering.

Goa BJP general secretary and spokesperson Sadanand Tanavade accused the Congress of staging a “gherao” of the Dabolim airport director B.C. Negi earlier on Monday to seek publicity.

“Let Sonia Gandhi come, they (Congress) can also welcome her at the airport. We have no objection,” Mr. Tendulkar said when asked how such an airport under naval jurisdiction involving security concerns could be used for political meeting.