BJP demands sacking of education minister

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP?s) Goa unit on Saturday demanded sacking of the state Education Minister Atanasio Monserrate after he was detained at the Mumbai international airport for allegedly possessing undeclared foreign currency.

Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar said that they will not allow the legislative assembly session to continue until Digambar Kamat-led government sacks the controversial minister.

?We will disrupt the proceedings till Monserrate is sacked from the cabinet,? Parrikar said. The party has called for an emergency legislative wing meeting on Sunday to chalk out their future course of action on pressurizing the ruling coalition to sack the tainted minister.

Whereas chief minister has said that he would probe into the matter before reaching to any conclusion. ?If we find that the minister is really at fault, we will certainly take action against him. But let?s wait before we jump to any conclusion,? Kamat said.

The 15-day budget session of the State Legislative Assembly is currently underway and will conclude on April 8.

Monserrate, who has a crime record with nearly 14 cases registered against him was detained on Saturday morning by the Mumbai customs officials for carrying 10 million US dollars and Rs 25 lakh cash.

Few of the criminal cases includes the infamous attack on the Panjim police station, merciless assault by Babush?s supporters on Youth Congress members, supporting the IT Habitat at Dona Paula, which was opposed by Monseratte in 2008; IT raid at his premises in Panjim, Bangalore and Mumbai wherein 27 properties were attached in 2004 and other similar cases.