Even Lord Ram won't get elected without spending money: Goa-leader
What's the story
Former Goa RSS Chief Subhash Velingkar claimed even Lord Ram would have to spend money to get elected in the current political situation.
He was addressing a youth convention of Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) yesterday.
"Due to rampant use of money power during elections, in the current situation, even Shri Ram will not get elected if he doesn't spend money," Velingkar claimed.
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Interesting!
During elections, politicians lure youth, women: Velingkar
"During elections, the politicians are busy luring two kinds of people, the youth and women, by offering them cash or gifts, whom they find gullible," Velingkar said addressing the GSM crowd.
He had floated the GSM on the eve of the 2017 Goa Assembly elections after he fell out with BJP leader Manohar Parrikar over the issue of medium of instruction in school education.
Attack
Velingkar says Parrikar drops ailing Ministers but he remains stuck
Accusing the BJP of "losing morality and indulging in the same practices like other parties in the country," Velingkar also attacked Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
"Parrikar dropped two ministers from the Cabinet because they are sick but he himself remains stuck to his position despite being critically ill," he said.
Parrikar is currently admitted to AIIMS in New Delhi for a pancreatic ailment.
Allegations
Politicians go to US for treatment, but not us: Velingkar
Velingkar, who was associated with the RSS for a stunning 54 years, also attacked politicians for frequenting hospitals in the US even for a minor cause at the cost of the state exchequer.
"The situation is not right in Goa. Politicians go to the US for treatment, but we have to get treated at the State-run Goa Medical College and Hospital," he alleged.
Power
It was difficult to build the party without money: Velingkar
Velingkar, who was a political mentor of Parrikar and Ayush Minister Shripad Naik in their initial days, said the two had to fight money power when they entered politics.
"It was difficult to build the party without money and it took ten years for us to do so. People had got a habit of accepting money," the 69-year-old veteran leader said.
Parrikar's first
Velingkar claimed Parrikar had spent Rs. 26,000 for first election
"We couldn't get a candidate to contest election from Panaji. That is when we decided to field Parrikar who was new graduate from IIT and running his factory," Velingkar recalled.
He claimed Parrikar had spent Rs. 26,000 for his first election, which he won.
"The BJP talks about zero tolerance towards corruption, but show me a single Minister who doesn't make money," he added.