Panaji, June 12: Hours before the inaugural ceremony of FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil on Thursday, June 12, controversy began thousand miles away in India. Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parikar was one among those who faced wrath of critics.

According to media reports, Parrikar approved a Rs 89-lakh junket for six of his MLAs, including three ministers, to attend the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The six MLAs are likely to watch the first and second quarterfinal clash at Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July 4 and Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza on July 5, as well as the semi-finals on July 8 and July 9 respectively.

The six Goa MLAs are -- Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida, Velim MLA Benjamin Silva, Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo, Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado, and Power Minister Milind Naik.

This is a study tour for politicians of Goa which holds sports events regularly

What shocked everyone was that no official from the Sports Ministry are accompanying the MLAs to Brazil. Taking the advantage of the moment, Congress began protesting against Parrikar and his aides. Congress protesters also raised questions regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision of not wasting public money to appease their MLAs.

Protesting against Goa government's decision of sending the MLAs to Brazil, Congress party spokesperson Durgadas Kamat said, The CM should answer to the people of the state for the utter loot of 89 lakhs in the name of a World Cup junket to Brazil for his MLAs which include Cabinet Ministers."

"On one hand Prime Minister Modi has been openly advocating not to misuse funds, but his CM has contradicted him by approving a junket for his MLAs. We could have understood if a small delegation of three football experts would have been sent. Surprisingly, no government official, or football expert, will be part of the state delegation that is headed to Brazil, even though both of Goa's Arjuna awardees - Brahmanand Shankhwalkar and Bruno Coutinho are from Goa," he added.

However, sources close to Goa government justified their decision calling it a "study tour" for politicians of Goa which regularly holds sporting events like Football. The sources also claimed that Parrikar had no objection to it. The sources pointed out that no bureaucrats were being sent, only politicians who "bring the vision."

OneIndia News