PM Doesn't Understand History Of Those Times: Rahul Gandhi On Modi's Goa Liberation Remark

Rahul Gandhi, who is on a day long visit to the coastal state, said the Congress would win majority of seats in Goa and there won't be any need for post-poll alliances.

Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi. (Getty Images)

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday over his remark on Goa's liberation, saying "he does not understand the situation of those times".

Speaking at a press conference in Margao, Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of distracting the attention of people of Goa from real issues like environment and employment.

#GoaElections2022 | "This time we will get a solid majority, and we will act immediately to make sure that we have a government in Goa," says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/0LEmys2JJJ

— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2022

"PM does not understand the history of those times, he does not understand what was going on post-World War II. He is coming to Goa to distract people from the real issues like environment and employment," PTI quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying.

On Thursday, PM Modi, speaking at an election rally in Mapusa, said that if Jawaharlal Nehru wanted, Goa could have been liberated "within hours" in 1947, but it took 15 years for the state to be freed from Portuguese rule.

Gandhi, who is on a day-long visit to the coastal state, said the Congress would win a majority of seats in Goa and there won't be any need for post-poll alliances.

"This time we will get a solid majority, and we will act immediately to make sure that we have a government in Goa," Rahul Gandhi said.

He doesn’t understand history of those times: Rahul Gandhi on PM Modi’s remark that Congress government took 15 years to liberate Goa from Portuguese

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 11, 2022

On the simmering Karnataka hijab row, the Congress leader said, "I won't get into the conversation which distracts people; my focus is on what is important for the people of Goa."

Congress Taunts Goa Chief Minister As Amit Shah Campaigns For Him 

Earlier on Wednesday, Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar mocked the BJP for sending Union Home Minister Amit Shah to campaign in Sankhalim, where Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is running for re-election. Chodankar claimed that the CM knew he would lose the assembly seat. 

Hitting back at Chodankar's remark, Goa BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade tweeted, "Dear @girishgoa Bab, people of #Goa too knows that @INCGoa is losing; your refusal to campaign for your alliance partner @Goaforwardparty in #Fatorda raises a question of your credibility."

Dear @girishgoa Bab, people of #Goa too knows that @INCGoa is losing; your refusal to campaign for your alliance partner @Goaforwardparty in #Fatorda, raises a question of your credibility. @prudentgoa pic.twitter.com/0nWoaOBzd3

— SADANAND SHET TANAVADE सदानंद शेट तानावडे (@ShetSadanand) February 9, 2022

Goa Legislative Assembly Election 2022

With the term of the current Goa Legislative Assembly expiring on March 15, the Goa Assembly Election is scheduled to be conducted in one phase. The date of polling in Goa is February 14, 2021.

The counting of elections will be held for all states on March 10, 2022.

Goa Legislative Assembly Election 2017

Goa elections were last held on February 4, 2017, with Congress emerging as the single largest party with 17 MLAs. The election results threw up a hung assembly in the state, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 13 seats in the 40-member assembly.

However, the BJP formed a government forging an alliance with the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), and two Independents, to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member house.

(With Agencies Inputs)