Kamat laughs off queries on minister’s ‘partner’ death
June 1st, 2010 - 9:16 pm ICT by IANS
Panaji, June 1 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Tuesday shocked journalists when he burst into a sudden fit of laughter when asked to comment on the mysterious death of Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco’s alleged ‘partner’ due to poisoning.
“I have read about it in the newspapers. You all know everything, then why are you asking me,” Kamat said before breaking into peals of laughter to the shock of the journalists present in the conference room at the chief minister’s official residence.
On a day when nearly every regional newspaper in the state carried lead stories linking Pacheco to the mysterious death of his alleged lover Nadia Torrado, Kamat said that “no one has said (spoken) directly” to him about the issue.
During the press conference, the chief minister continued to dodge queries on whether he was contemplating action against Pacheco, who before the latest controversy, was booked in four separate offences ranging from extortion to bigamy and assaulting government servants.
When the media persons persisted with their queries on the death of Nadia, Kamat said: “I had received a fax from a women’s organisation”.
But when the media persons asked for the content of the complaint sent by the women’s right organisation, Kamat said: “I have not gone through it yet”.
Kamat was in the news recently for his sexist comment on the women’s reservation bill, which is being actively pursued by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
“If women start pursuing politics, it will have a negative impact on society,” Kamat had said at a function May 22. He had also made snide remarks at the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s landmark women’s quota bill that seeks to reserve 33 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies for women.
“Don’t fall for 33 percent reservation (in politics). Politics makes you go crazy. Women play an important role in transforming the society. We should look after our next generation,” Kamat had said, commenting on the legislation, which, according to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was the dream of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Two days after his public statement, Kamat claimed that he had been misquoted in the media.
- Goa tourism minister resigns - Jun 05, 2010
- Goa minister resigns over companion's death (Lead) - Jun 05, 2010
- 'Women in politics will have negative impact on society' - May 22, 2010
- 'Nadia was styling herself as Pacheco's wife' - Jul 05, 2010
- Kamat's sexist remarks draw flak from women's rights groups - May 23, 2010
- NCP legislator jailed six months for assault - Oct 05, 2011
- Sexist Kamat should ask Sonia to quit politics: BJP - May 24, 2010
- Linked to companion's death, Goa tourism minister quits (Lead) - Jun 05, 2010
- Pacheco lover's mother burnt all her documents, clothes: Cops - Jun 09, 2010
- Judge recuses himself from former Goa minister's bail plea - Jun 18, 2010
- Pacheco granted bail in culpable homicide case - Jul 26, 2010
- Goa court rejects ministerial aide's anticipatory bail plea - Jun 09, 2010
- Goa minister's 'partner' death case given to Crime Branch - Jun 02, 2010
- Goa gets new minister, Mickky key suspect in death - Jun 08, 2010
- Former Goa tourism minister, aide denied anticipatory bail - Jun 21, 2010
Tags: chief minister, congress president sonia gandhi, crazy women, extortion, goa, government servants, latest controversy, lead stories, Lok Sabha, media persons, mysterious death, negative impact, pacheco, peals, progressive alliance, quota bill, reservation bill, state assemblies, tourism minister, UPA
