Thaindian News

Panaji, April 2 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded the resignation of Goa Education Minister Atanasio Monseratte, who was detained Saturday at the Mumbai international airport for allegedly carrying $10 million in unaccounted money.

“Monserrate should be dropped from the cabinet. How does a minister get so much money? Where does it come from? All these aspects need to be probed. But first he should either be axed from the cabinet or Monserrate should resign pending the probe,” BJP’s Leader of Opposition in the assembly Manohar Parrikar said.

Customs sleuths detained Monseratte after they were tipped off that the minister, who had arrived in Mumbai by a domestic flight from Goa and was on his way to Dubai, was allegedly carrying $10 million and Rs.2.5 million.

Monseratte was picked by the Customs officials just as he was about to board the flight to Dubai.

Parrikar also dragged Chief Minister Digambar Kamat into the controversy by saying that when the assembly session was on, no minister was allowed to leave the state without the permission from the chief minister.

“When the assembly is in session, any minister has to inform the chief minister and inform him of his whereabouts. Did Monserrate inform Kamat? Did Kamat know where Monserrate was heading for with so much money?” Parrikar said.

Parrikar also said that several ministers of the Congress-led coalition government were “attracted to Dubai like drug addicts were attracted to drugs”, saying that constant Dubai trips were giving rise to suspicion.

“Why do ministers from this government keep going to Dubai? What financial dealings are they doing there,” Parrikar asked.

Kamat, meanwhile, was cautious when he was asked to comment on the minister’s detention.

“Let’s wait before we jump to the conclusion. If the minister has really done something wrong, then we will take the action,” the chief minister said.

The Congress leadership also said they would “wait and watch” the development involving the controversial minister.

Monseratte, a controversial politician has a long criminal record, which includes extortion, assault and forgery.

A legislator from the Taleigao constituency, Monseratte who was formally inducted into the Congress party in June last year, is also being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for leading a mob which attacked a city police station in which several people were injured and several lady police constables complained of being molested.