Panaji, Apr 1 (PTI) AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday alleged the BJP and the entire state machinery in Goa are trying to protect the party councillor’s son, who was arrested for allegedly raping several girls and circulating their obscene videos.
Addressing a public meeting in the run-up to the assembly bypoll in Ponda constituency, Kejriwal said the son of the BJP councillor in Curchorem was involved in “exploiting 30 minor girls”.
“The BJP is trying to protect the accused and his father. They are trying to save the accused by filing a case under a non-stringent section against him. The Goa BJP president even gave a statement sympathising with the father of the accused,” said Kejriwal.
He alleged that the accused was involved in exploiting 30 minor girls, “but the entire machinery is trying to protect him”.
The former Delhi chief minister was referring to the arrest of Soham Naik, son of Curchorem municipal councillor Sushant Naik, on March 22 following protests by locals.
Notably, the BJP has distanced itself from the councillor, saying he was not a member of the ruling saffron outfit.
The accused is facing four FIRs filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Goa Children’s Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.
Kejriwal said that the BJP and its leaders were not bothered about the children of the common people.
The bypoll in the Ponda assembly constituency, scheduled for April 9, was necessitated by the death of sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and former Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik.
Referring to the electoral contest, Kejriwal claimed that the Congress candidate, Ketan Bhatikar, was planted by the BJP.
“The BJP has fielded two candidates. One is their own, and another is Ketan ji, who was trying to get a BJP ticket before he contested on the Congress ticket,” he said.
After the demise of Ravi Naik, Bhatikar had made public statements that he is vying for a BJP ticket, Kejriwal said.
“Bhatikar had even bragged about his closeness with the chief minister,” he added.
Kejriwal said if Bhatikar is elected on a Congress ticket, he might switch loyalties to the BJP.
The AAP has fielded Geetesh Naik in the poll arena. PTI RPS NSK
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